


That Deathless Death

by Eve_Iyapo



Series: Ready To Blow [3]
Category: World Wrestling Entertainment
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, BDSM, Character Death, Explicit Sexual Content, Extremely Dubious Consent, Multi, Threesome - M/M/M, Torture
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-18
Updated: 2017-01-14
Packaged: 2018-04-15 07:38:38
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 20
Words: 74,619
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4598403
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eve_Iyapo/pseuds/Eve_Iyapo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>CM Punk is called upon by his best friends, Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose, to help them tie up some loose ends regarding a ghost from their past they thought they'd long since buried. Punk is happy to help but his growing feelings for Roman and Dean's sub, Seth Rollins, continues to provide an unhealthy distraction.<br/>Fic follows Ready to Blow and Enjoy. Full disclaimer inside.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. My Church Offers No Absolutes

**Author's Note:**

> The following fic will take place shortly after the events in 'Enjoy' (which of course takes place after 'Ready To Blow'). I strongly suggest reading those two fics first as this is the last in the series. The main theme song of this fic is 'Take Me To Church' by Hozier (though there most likely will be different chapter specific themes later on). I more than appreciate all the love the previous two fics have gotten and I hope that you all will enjoy this one as well! Keep reading and reviewing!

_"_ _Months… Hell… Almost a year now… I still can't believe we're fucking here…"_

Punk was walking barefoot on the sandy shore as the ocean sent foamy waves up to his ankles and down again. The sun was setting and the sky glowed in fascinating hues of purple, orange and red as night began to fall. A gentle breeze lifted his hair from the back of his neck, causing him to sigh and tilt his head skyward. The air on the island was clean, fresh and fragrant. He found that he didn't miss the stale scent of the city, rank with exhaust, sewage and just entirely too many people. This place was nice. It was peaceful and most importantly it was safe.

Paradise.

Smiling to himself, Punk walked back to the small beachside bungalow. He climbed the front porch steps and let himself inside the unlocked dwelling, shaking his head as he did so. It had taken a lot of getting used to, not having double, even triple locks on the doors. Here there was no need. There were never any visitors besides the driver of a small delivery boat from the mainland. The small elderly dark skinned man appeared at the end of every month to drop off groceries, toiletries and any other items needed. It was always during the day; at Punk's request of course. And the driver was paid via an outside monthly wire transfer automatically. He was always exceedingly grateful for the ludicrous amount of money Punk paid him for the small service, often grasping the inked man's hands firmly in his own weathered ones while thanking him repeatedly in his native tongue.

Smirking, Punk continued on through the house till he reached the back door. He exited it and his gaze landed on the very reason he was here on the island. With laser like focus his eyes were drawn to the nude, bound and blindfolded man across the yard. Punk allowed the door to swing shut softly behind him, watching with amusement as Seth's head tilted in his direction. The blindfold was obscuring most of his face, from the bridge of his noise to his hairline but Punk knew that his brow had to be furrowed as he listened for more movement.

Seth flexed his wrists in his bonds as he strained to hear Punk's approach. After tying him up against the wall the two had built together just for this purpose, the older man had told Seth he was going to take a walk.

_"_ _It must have been a short walk,"_ mused Seth with a slight grin. Punk couldn't have been gone for longer than five minutes. Seth had actually counted. But as far as Rollins was concerned that was long enough. He was hard, eager and ready.

Punk shed his shorts leaving him as naked as the object of his affection. He crossed the yard in record time, his feet barely making a sound on the soft grass. He stopped right in front of Seth, so close that their bare chests were nearly touching. Punk reached both hands out and slowly ghosted over Seth's entire body, leaving goosebumps in his wake.

Seth's breath hitched in his throat at the man's teasing touches. He wanted more, needed more and arched himself trying to receive it. He heard Punk chuckle a bit, then realized with a start that the inked man's face had to be inches from his own. He felt Punk's warm breath blowing across his lips causing his own to part in anticipation. Rollins groaned, aching for his kiss. And when Punk's lips finally touched his, he melted into him. Punk's kisses were always soft but firm and this time was no different. His hands gripped Seth's trim waist while he explored the younger man's mouth.

Seth felt like he was on fire. Every touch, every kiss from Punk made his head spin and caused tingles to ricochet throughout his body. Then he felt the older man's lips leave his and he nearly growled out of frustration. At least until he felt two fingers pressing against his lips, clearly trying to enter his mouth. He sucked on Punk's digits eagerly, curling his tongue around them, bobbing his head as much as his bonds would allow. He knew what was coming and he worked hard to get them nice and wet. His efforts were appreciated since Rollins heard as well as felt Punk's appreciative moan. And when he felt the older man grinding his hips against his making their cocks to rub together, it was almost Seth's undoing.

Punk was beside himself. The hard yet leanly muscled body against his was responding so well to his every ministration. He found that he couldn't help himself, thrusting against Seth rhythmically. His cock was hard and leaking and he spared a glance down to see that Rollins was in a similar state. The friction was delicious and he allowed himself a couple more dry thrusts before taking his wet fingers from Seth's mouth. With one hand he coaxed the younger man to wrap his legs around his waist. Then he took his fingers and slowly, carefully began working them inside Seth's entrance. He probed and pulsed and once they were deep enough began a scissoring motion. When he thought Seth was fully prepped, he took his own dick in hand and in one fluid motion, inched his way inside.

A collective moan left both men as Punk slid into Seth's tight heat. Punk did some adjusting so that he was gripping Seth's hips before pulling out slowly. Right as he was about to withdraw completely, he pushed back in again, slowly till he was in to the hilt. Punk licked a line up the younger man's neck, stopping to suck on his pulse point while he continued his slow teasing pace. Seth groaned at this, his lips pursing in wanton frustration. He tried to coax the older man to move faster by bucking his hips but Punk only held him tighter to keep him still, choosing to slow down even more so that he was barely moving at all. It was practically killing him to do so with his dick so hard and throbbing but it was a sweet agony. He could hold out. He wanted Seth to beg for it.

And Seth knew it. Punk's slow torturous fucks was something they both enjoyed. It also afforded Rollins the opportunity to try his hand at defiance. It never lasted long though and right now was no exception.

"Please…" Seth whimpered under his breath. He shook his head from side to side, blinking rapidly beneath the blindfold. "Please Punk…"

Punk grinned then, feeling triumphant. He'd made Seth lose his cool much sooner than he expected. "Please what?" He reached up to suck Seth's bottom lip into his mouth then releasing it with a wet plop. "Please… what?"

Seth could hear the smile in his lover's voice and it heated him from the inside out. He loved when he got like this. "Fuck me. Stop teasing me and fuck me!"

"As you wish, princess," said Punk, still grinning. He suddenly thrust into Seth and the younger man gasped at the sensation. From that moment on he began giving Seth exactly what he wanted. Gone was the long slow teasing strokes. Now he was fucking him. Hard. Frantic. Brutal. The air was filled with the sound of skin slapping skin and Seth's uncontrollable cries and moans. Punk was cursing practically nonstop under his breath. He could feel himself getting closer and closer to climax and he was determined to bring Seth with him. He shifted so that his left hand was gripping the younger man's hip so that he could wrap his right around Seth's shaft, pumping in time to his frenzied thrusts.

When Seth came it was with a garbled shout that might have been Punk's name. He clenched his thighs tightly around Punk's waist, gasping for breath as his pleasure peaked. His inner muscles fluttering so sweetly around Punk's dick brought him to orgasm immediately after Seth.

"Fuck, princess…" Punk's head dropped to Seth's chest as he rode out the waves, shuddering as the euphoria swept through him. His hips pumped lazily a couple more times, groaning as the last few spurts continued to coat Seth inside. He had to steady himself, worried that his knees were going to buckle.

After a few moments when his strength had returned, he pulled Seth's blindfold up and off. The younger man had to blink repeatedly to help his eyes adjust to the sudden light but the second he could focus on Punk's smug, sweaty and satisfied face, he smiled.

Sometime later found the two lovers fresh out of the shower and in bed. Punk was spooning the younger man, his hand threading through Seth's still damp hair. The silence between them was comfortable and reflective as it often was after sex.

"You know…" started Seth, his voice breaking the silence. "…as much as I love it here, being here with you… I kinda miss our home."

Punk made a noncommittal noise of agreement before pressing a soft kiss to the back of Seth's neck. He wasn't really sure which home the princess meant; being back in the United States or his shared home with Moxley and Leakee.

Dean Ambrose.

Roman Reigns.

Punk still found it hard to think about his deceased best friends, even after all this time. When he and Seth first heard word that they'd been killed, Punk had flown into a blackout rage. Much of that anger was at himself and his utter stupidity in allowing them to try and take on Hunter and his goons without his help. And that was coupled with mind numbing guilt that caused him to just start screaming wordlessly and wrecking shit. When he finally snapped out of it he realized with a start that he was being selfish. The princess needed him. Seth had crawled to the nearest corner of the room, nails digging into the steal healing burned flesh of his neck, tears streaming down his cheeks. Punk would never forget the despair in his eyes nor the heart wrenching cries that came the second he tried to touch him, to comfort him. That had been a dark, dark day.

Sighing, Punk squeezed Rollins tightly, feeling guilt now for an entirely different reason. He hadn't meant to fall in love with Seth. He had only wanted to keep his word to his best friends, to keep their pretty boy safe. But as time went on, as they hopped from country to country before settling on this small island to live, he found that he had fallen irrevocably in love with the princess. And in that love he did what he could to satisfy Seth's need to be dominated. He couldn't bring himself to use any form of corporal punishment though he was sure the princess wanted him to. Instead he took great joy in tying him up, depriving him of his senses and edging. It was a learning process but in the end Punk had struck a balance and was able to keep them both happy and satisfied.

Seth could feel the tension in Punk's embrace and knew he had to be thinking about Roman and Dean. Truthfully, Seth's heart still ached for his beloved Doms. And the guilt he felt in being indirectly responsible for their deaths cut him up from the inside out. It took a long time before he could work through the pain and was able to function with a sense normalcy. He was lucky to have CM Punk. The inked man never allowed him to wallow long in his misery. He kept Seth going, gave him something to focus on other than his sadness. And he had worked hard, spending a fortune to keep him out of Hunter's clutches. They had travelled all over the world, donning different identities and personas to stay out of the well connected man's reach. And eventually they decided to settle here on this island. It was a veritable paradise and very secluded. All they had was each other and that suited both men just fine.

Sated and content, Seth squeezed Punk's hand. He could feel himself starting to drift off. As he finally allowed his eyes to close he said, "I love you, CM Punk."

Punk nuzzled against Rollins, a small smile on his face. "I love you too, princess."

**P**

The moon was high in the sky, creating a soft glow in their bedroom. Punk's eyes opened slowly, his brows knit in confusion. Something had roused him. What was it? He looked down at Seth's head on his chest and from his slow even breathing knew that he was asleep. Perplexed, Punk's gaze drifted to the ceiling as he strained to listen for something, anything strange. There! It was the sound of furniture being moved. Someone was in their house!

Heart suddenly racing Punk shook the younger man. "Wake up Seth!" he hissed. "There's someone here!"

Seth was startled awake and instantly broke out into a cold sweat. "Oh god…" His eyes were wide as he struggled to process that they were in danger.

Punk rolled quickly out of bed, reaching for the gun he kept in the nightstand. Just as his fingers touched the cool metal the door to their bedroom burst open. Rollins opened his mouth to scream but no sound came out.

Hunter Hearst Helmsley stepped into their bedroom, a very sick grin on his face. He was flanked by Kane and Batista, identical grins curling their lips.

"Well," started Hunter as he eyed Seth's terrified form hungrily. "It took some work and little bit more money than I'd anticipated but it was worth it. I found you." The last was said in a sing-song voice that sent chills down the sub's spine.

Punk growled low in his throat. "And what a waste. You came all this way just to fucking die?" He aimed the glock straight at Hunter's head with one hand while yanking Seth off the bed onto the floor beside him with the other.

Unperturbed the three men just came all the way in the room, blocking the only way out.

Kane gave Punk a very disturbing smile. "That type of gun jams more often than not." As Punk stared at him he watched with surprise and disgust as an open oozing wound appeared right between the monster's eyes. Blood dripped down the bridge of his nose and onto the floor but Kane didn't appear to notice.

Fighting back a gag, Punk's gaze was drawn to the shirtless tattooed man on the right.

"Did Seth tell you how much I loved his sweet mouth?" Batista leered at the two of them, a bleeding gash forming on the side of his neck, instantly drenching his chest.

Punk stared at him in horror, almost too afraid to turn his attention back to Hunter. But he couldn't help it. As he focused on Hunter he saw that he too was changing. His entire body was suddenly scorched and burned. He stared at Punk through black soulless eyes, his cracked and bleeding lips splitting into a horrific smile.

"Seth is mine! He's my sub! Mine!"

Suddenly all three men lunged for them. Punk tried to shoot but the gun refused to fire. Desperate, he tried to push Seth out of the way, to tell him to run but he was suddenly crushed by Kane's heavy body. The monster of a man wrapped both hands around his neck, chuckling as he did so. Punk couldn't breathe. Over the ringing in his ears he could hear Seth pleading with Hunter. Those pleas turned to cries. Then screams; high and terrified. Punk struggled, he tried to fight but he was fading fast.

_"_ _I'm sorry princess… I couldn't keep you safe. Forgive me! I'm so fucking sorry…"_

***P***

Punk bolted upright in bed, choking back a gasp. He was drenched in sweat and shaking. The inked man glanced around his bedroom trying to orient himself. This was his house, his bedroom and his bed. No, he wasn't on an island paradise with Seth. Yes, Hunter and his goons were still dead and gone.

It was just a dream. A stupid goddamn nightmare. He inhaled deeply before blowing his breath out slowly, trying to calm his racing heart. These days his dreams regularly involved Seth. And they were always so vivid, so real and this was one was no exception. It was only recently that his dreams started to include Hunter, Kane and Batista. And every time he woke up he was filled with anxiety and a deep sense of guilt.

Despite recent talks with Leakee and even Jon, the guilt was starting to become overwhelming. And the fact that Hunter was starting to show up in his dreams seemed to indicate a subconscious need to pay for his sins.

What was the word?

Covet.

He was coveting Jon and Leakee's sub, Seth Rollins.

Groaning miserably Punk rolled over to take that dreaded look at the clock.

3:45 am.

Knowing that it was going to be damn near impossible to go back to sleep Punk dragged himself out of bed. He was going to go for a run. Might as well get a jump start on the day. As he got dressed, he found himself thinking about the first half of his dream. He wondered what it would be like to be with Seth.

To feel him. Taste him. To leave him a trembling whimpering mess. He imagined what it would be like for the princess to _want_ him. Could he want CM Punk just as much as the older man wanted him?

No. No! Thoughts like these were dangerous. He could never have Seth. He once told Leakee that he would never come between them and Seth and he meant that shit. Wanting to keep true to his word, Punk tried like hell to banish the younger man from his mind. His attempts were always futile though, especially now. Groaning miserably he slapped himself across the face twice.

It didn't help.

Finally dressed, Punk didn't bother turning on the lights, the familiarity of his home a guide. Before heading downstairs he found himself stopping into the adjacent guest room. Some months ago he moved the CB radio into this room, purely out of convenience. Leakee, Jon and the princess were all well aware of his chronic insomnia and several times a week one of them would make themselves available in case he needed to talk. This wasn't one of those nights, but Punk couldn't help himself.

Slowly he reached the desk where the unit sat, staring down at it. A deep sense of melancholy settled over him, comingling with the ever present guilt. Due to his introverted nature, loneliness wasn't usually an issue but now he lamented the fact that there no one to talk to. No one to help distract him from that wicked dream he just had.

"Punk?!"

The sudden exclamation made the inked man jump back with a gasp.

"Shit!" Shaking his head, CM Punk sat down in front of the radio before picking up the receiver. "Leakee?"

There was an audible sigh of relief, then, "Yeah man, it's me. Over."

"What the fuck are you doing up? Over."

"Dean and I got a problem that we're going to need your help with. You got anything going on right now? Over."

Punk mulled that over. Leakee was asking him if he was in the middle of a _job_ or any other illegal activity. "Umm… The Big Guy wanted some intel but it's not time sensitive or anything. What's going on? Over."

"It's fucking 'Haitch' related, Punk. Over."

The inked man's eyes widened. 'Haitch' had become the codeword when discussing Hunter, the evil jackass they'd dispatched last year. Immediately Punk's mind began conjuring all sorts of nasty images as sudden fear gripped his heart. "Is Seth okay?! Did something happen to the princess?!"

"No! God, no, nothing like that. However, we just found out that our boss was a close friend of 'Haitch's. Over."

Punk was silent a moment before growling under his breath when he finally put two and two together. "Motherfucker! When do you want me there? Over."

"As soon as possible. Dean's barely holding it together as it is. Hell, I was ready to rip the bastard apart right there in his office. Over."

Punk was nodding to himself until he realized he needed to confirm aloud. "I'll be there, man. Over."

Another sigh of relief. "Thanks, Punk. Are you gonna have trouble finding someplace to stay? Over."

Punk frowned at that. "And I can't stay with you, because? Over."

"Seth doesn't know about this, Punk. He _can't_ know. As far as he's concerned all this 'Haitch' bullshit has been dead and buried. He's happy now. Hasn't had a nightmare in months. Dean and I don't want to risk undoing all the progress he's made. Over."

There was a fierceness to Leakee's voice that left no room for argument. Punk could respect that his friends just wanted to protect the princess but it still stung that he wouldn't be able to spend time with the younger man during this mission.

"Alright man, I get it. I'll figure something out. When I make it to town I'll contact you. Over."

"Great. Thanks, Punk. Over."

"Yeah." The inked man nodded to himself. "No problem. Over."

"Oh, and Punk? Don't forget the toys. Over and out."

 


	2. Making The Call

Damien Sandow was awake.

Currently he was lying in bed, listening to the soft static of the white noise machine on the night stand (his wife insisted she couldn't sleep without it) while staring at the ceiling. Next to him, Lisa, his beautiful wife was snoring softly, at least proving the validity of her claims about the machine. In the bedroom down the hall, his eight year old twin daughters were also very much asleep. But he remained wide fucking awake.

It had been over a year since his dear old college chum's death, Hunter Hearst Helmsley. And at the time it hadn't occurred to Damien that just maybe Hunter's death hadn't been an accident like his family claimed. Even his wife, Lisa had remarked at the funeral how odd it seemed that Mrs. McMahon-Helmsley had brought was appeared to be a _date_ with her, a moderately well known aging rock star to be exact. Damien himself hadn't been fazed as he was of course, more aware of Hunter and Stephanie's dalliances outside their marriage. Hell, Hunter had always chased down reluctant partners in their younger days. And as the years passed, the reluctant eventually turned into the completely unwilling.

Truthfully, Sandow didn't care. Hunter may have been his friend but his affairs were his own. In that arena, Damien had had his own little side piece, a young man by the name of Cody Rhodes. However about a month after Hunter died, Cody finally made up his mind about who he wanted to sub for, choosing a knuckle dragging neanderthal known as Randy Orton.

Being rejected by Cody, whom he'd grown to care very much for, had hurt Damien more deeply than he realized. For weeks he took his misery out everyone around him, snapping and spitting vitriol in a way that made him a nightmare to be with. It was a wonder Lisa didn't figure it out in the time it took to pull himself together. Unlike Hunter and Stephanie's 'don't ask, don't tell' policy regarding extramarital affairs, Lisa was highly conservative and traditional. If she had had even the slightest inkling that Damien was cheating on her (and with a man no less!) she would leave him, take half his money and assets along with the children. Still, even with the threat of financial and social ruin, despite how much he loved her, Damien just had particular tastes that Lisa simply could not (and at times _would_ not) satisfy.

It was just as well.

Sighing deeply, Sandow thoughts shifted to his more recent problem; a pair of ignoramus' that worked under him at DiBiase and Associates. They came into his office today (after he called them but still) making wild accusations and casting aspersions while making threats. Sure their accusations were absolutely true but how was it his fault? Sandow had just been helping out a friend. What Hunter chose to do with his help was none of his damn business.

 _"Our pockets may not be as deep as yours, Damien_. _But when it comes to revenge? There is nothing… and I mean no fucking thing that we do better. Believe that."_

What the hell did that even mean?

Every time Damien closed his eyes he could see the fury in both Ambrose's and Reigns'. Moreover he had a very good idea of the hell Hunter must have put them through just based on how well he knew the man and the things he was fond of in regards to his conquests. Deep down Sandow knew exactly what Reigns meant.

Retaliation.

Just how far they were willing to go wasn't readily apparent though.

Unless they were the reason Hunter was six feet under.

Brown eyes went wide at the sudden realization as a shudder swept through Damien's body. Would they try to kill him? They were bound to do _something_ , but murder?

Shit.

No, he couldn't let them strike first.

Damien Sandow wasn't ready to die.

Decision made, Sandow silently crept out of bed not wanting to wake his wife. The lovely blonde only rolled onto her back, her snoring louder now. Damien stepped into his slippers and grabbed his royal blue robe off the edge of the bed before leaving the master bedroom. A quick trip across the hallway and he decided to take a peek inside his daughters' bedroom. The girls had long brown hair, the same dark brown as his but their features were all his wife. He watched as Deirdre flung an arm over the edge of her bed and simultaneously kicking the blankets off, while Deanna remained still. He loved them so much, he couldn't let anything happen to them. Closing the door quietly he turned and crept downstairs.

When he got to the den he closed the double doors before heading to the bar along the wall. He poured himself a glass of bourbon then took a long swallow, relishing the woodsy taste and burn. Sighing he searched through a nearby address book until he came across the name Vincent K. McMahon, Hunter's father in law. Damien knew the man well as they had entered into some business ventures together, along with the fact that DiBiase & Associates also handled some accounts for him. He was a shrewd man with incredible business sense and an eye for the market. A brilliant man like that was bound to have some quirks and one of those was that he only slept a few hours a night. Vincent once told Sandow that was how he stayed rich, keeping an eye on his money at all times. They had shared a quick laugh before moving on to other topics but now the man's insomnia might prove useful.

Picking up the handset off the desk, Damien dialed the number then listened to it ring. On the fourth ring he finally heard a guff, "Hello?" on the other end.

"Hello, Mr. McMahon? It's Damien Sandow."

Silence.

Damien tried again. "Hunter's friend? You and I have done some business together in the past."

"Ah! Damien! How are you, young man? Family is well I hope!"

Sandow gave a nervous chuckle, "Lisa and the girls are doing fine, sir, thank you."

"Good, good, I'm glad to hear that. I was just doing some light weight training but I'm sure you didn't call to ask me about my lifting regimen."

"No sir. It's a slightly more… sensitive matter that I needed to talk to you about. You see, I may be in some trouble here and I remembered that Hunter once said you gave him a number for-"

McMahon cleared his throat obnoxiously loud suddenly, interrupting Damien. "Damien, why don't you have brunch with me?"

Thrown by the change in subject, Sandow was slow to comprehend. "Excuse me?"

"Meet me at the Lawndale Country Club at 10:30, you hear me? I'll see you then. Good bye."

Sandow pulled the phone slowly away from his ear. The abruptness of Mr. McMahon's departure was strange but Damien couldn't dwell on it. It was after 5 am. He wanted to try for at least a couple hours of sleep at least before the girls woke up and started their daily childlike ruckus. After leaving the den, he trudged his way back to the stairs. Although he didn't think he'd sleep a wink, he still had to try.

**DS**

Sandow arrived at the country club at precisely 10:25 am. He wore a dark blue pantsuit and donned dark shades in an attempt to hide the unsightly bags underneath his eyes, courtesy of the lack of sleep. One of the wait staff directed him out onto the patio near the pool where Mr. McMahon was waiting already seated at a table. The much older man was in a grey suit, the jacket slung across the back of his chair as he watched Sandow's approach. He waited until after the waiter took their orders and walked away before addressing the younger man.

"Damien, no man calls another man so late at night unless he's in some deep shit."

Sandow's eyebrows rose in surprise at his candor but he didn't deny it. "I'm in a little bit of trouble, yes sir."

McMahon sat back in his chair but gave Damien a once over with his gaze. "Look, Damien. I told Hunter this once and now I'm telling you, 'Whatever you're doing, stop. Cut the shit because if you don't… somebody's going to end up hurt.'"

Damien glanced around before giving his attention back to Vince. "It's not like that, Mr. McMahon! You see, I did some favors for Hunter and now some people are blaming me for what _he_ did! I think they want to hurt me and my family. I can't have that."

McMahon's eyes widened and he leaned forward in his seat. "I see… And I'm willing to bet that this has something to do with my dearly departed son in law's untimely death last year. Am I right or am I right?"

Sandow pinched the bridge of his nose under the glasses while shaking his head. "Yes, I believe so."

Nodding, Vince reached inside his shirt pocket and pulled out a small folded up slip of paper. He placed it on the table and slid it to Sandow. "When you're sure you're alone, you call that number. The man that will answer solves problems… for a fee of course. Just be sure that you only call him in on a problem that diplomacy or money alone won't solve."

Damien hesitated briefly before picking the paper up and putting it in his own pocket. "We're way past such niceties, Mr. McMahon."

Two hours later found Damien Sandow at a coffee shop on a less affluent side of town. He had called the number given to him by Mr. McMahon in the car and was currently waiting on the man he'd spoken with to show up. On the phone the mysterious man had sounded cultured and smooth with an accent he couldn't place. Still, Damien didn't know what to expect and his stomach churned, the eggs benedict he'd mostly picked at during brunch not settling well at all.

He waited at the shop for little over an hour, growing more and more anxious as the time went on. Just as he was beginning to think about leaving he heard the door chime. Sandow looked up and saw man in a well fitted suit enter the shop. He gave a rather complicated order at the counter then flirted with the young woman fixing it. He laughed at how flustered she got before thanking her and picking up his cup. He scanned the nearly empty establishment till he spotted Damien seated in the back and heading in that direction. The man unbuttoned his jacket then sat across from him at the small table.

The man smiled slowly. "Damien Sandow, is it?" He reached over to shake his hand. "The name's Cesaro. Mr. McMahon was kind enough to give me a little bit of background on you before passing my number along. Now tell me… What do you need done and to whom does it need to happen?"

Sandow spent the next half hour giving Cesaro the rundown on Ambrose and Reigns, including why he thought they were after him. As distressed as he was, Damien didn't notice the sudden shift in Cesaro's eyes or the slight curl of his lip when he began talking about the two men. Once he was finished he sat back with an exhausted sigh.

"Well, Mr. Sandow, I do think you have a problem. Those two gentlemen sound as if they have a real vendetta against you and are likely going to do something, and soon. So you had the right idea about taking them out first, before they even have a chance to get to you or your family."

Damien nodded. "Okay. So what happens now?"

Cesaro took a long sip of his coffee then set it on the table. "For starters, you need to get your family away from here. Send them on vacation, you know Disney World or the like. Whatever it is people like you do. That way your wife and daughters are out of the line of fire."

"You don't think I should go with them?"

"Of course not!" Cesaro almost laughed at the idea. "If you go with them, you'll just be putting them in danger again. No, you have to stay here. That way I can get to them before they get to you."

"I'm not so sure I like the idea of being bait, Cesaro." Annoyance and bit of fear crept into Sandow's voice.

"Do you like the idea of being dead?" The humorous glint in Cesaro's eyes was gone now. In its place was a more predatory gleam. It let Damien know that he was dealing with a seriously dangerous man which, under the circumstances was oddly comforting.

"No," he answered. "I find being alive much more agreeable."

"Good." Cesaro got up from the table and gave Damien a disturbing smile. "I've got some arrangements to make and so do you. Get your family out of here and I'll contact you soon." With that said, he walked out of the coffee shop.

As he drove back to his condo across town, Cesaro's mind whirled with all the new information and the events of this afternoon. What were the odds that the two men responsible for almost crippling him and taking out his former partners Sheamus and Rusev were now his new assignment?! It was almost too good to be true! He was going to be paid well to basically enact some revenge. It was rather poetic, considering.

The Swiss man chuckled under his breath. "We've come full circle, haven't we?"


	3. Set 'Em Up...

"Thanks, Mrs. Stokes. This place is great!"

"No… thank _you_ Mr. Punk. I'm just happy to finally have found a buyer for this apartment." The older ebony woman shook her head in slight disbelief. "It's been on the market for quite some time despite being a fantastic piece of property."

"It was just waiting for the right buyer to come along." Punk gave the woman a wink and his most charming grin and she tittered in response.

Sighing, she peered down at the signed check in her hand with a slight frown. "I don't understand why you need to purchase it in the name of this company but that's fine. It's none of my business anyhow." The woman shrugged as she headed for the door. "Here are the keys," added Mrs. Stokes, leaving them on the kitchen counter. "Everyone in this building pretty much keeps to themselves. I expect you to do the same. I don't like drama and being nosy brings nothing but. Understand?"

"I understand. Don't worry ma'am. Solitude is my middle name. Nobody will even know I'm here."

Mrs. Stokes merely nodded and walked out, closing the door behind her. Punk sighed, relieved that he'd found seemingly the one person in the city who wasn't going to pry into his business. He'd discovered and bought this loft apartment without a lot of fuss which was fantastic. Mrs. Stokes wasn't concerned with things like his given 'Christian' name or whether or not the dummy corporation on the check he wrote actually existed. She was just concerned with whether or not the check was good and the money real. Punk had actually gone ten grand over asking price, provided he could move in today. Mrs. Stokes had no problem with that.

The loft was on the top floor of building which was what Punk wanted. It had a huge open floor plan with high ceilings, indicating that this used to be an industrial building of some kind. It held all the necessary appliances and there was already some furniture, a kitchen table set, a couch in the living area along with a couple of chairs and a dresser and bookshelf. The main thing he would need to purchase was a bed though it was likely he wouldn't be sleeping much until this Haitch problem got resolved.

Shaking his head, and snatching the keys off the counter, CM Punk left the loft and headed for the elevator. He took it all the way down to the underground garage where his jeep was parked. The vehicle was filled to the brim with all sorts of equipment that he'd brought from his home and storage bunker. It took him a half an hour and three trips to bring everything inside and he was thankful that he hadn't run into any of his new neighbors yet. A lay person would be sure to ask about all the equipment but someone like him would be bound to know what it was for. It was better to try to keep everything hidden.

Once back inside the loft he went about setting everything up. That included multiple computer screens, all connected to his own personal ghost server and laptop, a burner cell phone (despite his desire to stay off the grid he couldn't deny that it would come in handy here) and of course the CB radio. He put all of that in what was supposed to be the bedroom, the only walled in area of the loft. Then for the next few hours he took aluminum foil and wallpapered the entire room with it. Even though the possibility was there for someone to pick up on the signals his equipment was putting out the likelihood was minimal. Still, the thought of exposure or being spied on was Punk's own personal hell but he would do what he could to protect the princess and to help his friends.

After what he considered most important was finished Punk left the loft to do some shopping. He stopped at a furniture store first to pick out and purchase a kingsized mattress and bedroom set. Since he paid all in cash he was able to talk the manager into same day delivery. They agreed on a time but before he left he asked if there was a local organic grocery store nearby. Once pointed in the general direction that was Punk's next stop. After doing some heavy duty grocery shopping he had to rush home to beat the delivery men. They arrived perhaps fifteen minutes after he'd gotten back so the timing worked out well. The delivery crew was perplexed as to why they were putting up bedroom items outside of the actual bedroom (the living area to be exact) but did as he asked. Punk tipped them well for their services and was pleased that he'd gotten so much accomplished in a relatively short amount of time.

It was after six when he finally got on the CB radio to contact Leakee and Jon. This time it happened to be Jon to pick up. He gave Punk an address to meet them at in half an hour.

When Punk arrived he wasn't surprised to see that it was a steakhouse. After speaking to the hostess she led him to a booth in the back of the restaurant where they weren't likely to be disturbed. And there waiting were those two stupidly handsome best friends of his.

And they were already eating.

There were two plates of appetizers (fried calamari and shrimp in some unknown sauce) already at the table when Punk finally sat down. Roman grinned at the inked man, truly happy to see him. Dean barely glanced up he was concentrating so hard on stuffing his face.

"It's good to see you Punk," said Roman, still grinning. "I can't tell you how glad we are that you came. I know how difficult it is for you to come to the city."

"It's no problem Leakee," replied Punk, picking up a piece of shrimp and popping it into his mouth. "I want to help." After chewing and swallowing, he added, "Where's the princess?"

Dean rolled his eyes, that nickname still managing to get under his skin. " _Seth_ is at the gym."

Punk's brow furrowed slightly. "I thought that he was only part time during the week while doing sub shit for you two the rest of the time?"

Roman nodded. "Yeah he is but that's a different gym. On the weekends he does this thing called Crossfit. It's the only time his 'swole-mate' is available to work out and train with him."

" _Swole-mate_?!" Punk raised an eyebrow. "What the hell is a _swole-mate_?"

Roman shook his head and chuckled but it was Dean who answered him.

"That's like a gym buddy but play on soul-mate. You exchange work out tips, spot each other when lifting and squatting, that kind of thing. Seth's swole-mate is a young twink by the name of Tyler Breeze."

"He also goes by the name of Prince Pretty," added Roman helpfully with a small smirk.

Dean rolled his eyes and scoffed loudly. "Please… Anyway, they met while we were at this newish kink club called Arrival about six months ago. Started shooting the shit and found out that they both have a passion for Crossfit. Now they work out together."

"Huh. Why don't you to do that Crossfit stuff with him?" asked Punk as he reached for the calamari.

Dean shrugged. "Rome and I prefer more conventional methods of working out. Crossfit is like training for Olympic athletes or some shit."

"Not that our pretty boy isn't getting results though." Roman piled some more calamari on his plate. "His body is _insane_. The only problem is he just isn't as flexible as he used to be."

Punk watched as Jon and Leakee locked eyes with matching lecherous grins on their faces. It was both sickening and intriguing to imagine where their minds were going.

For a brief moment the more arousing parts of his dream about Seth were at the forefront of his mind and Punk had to deflect quickly. The last thing he wanted was to be getting a hard on thinking about his best friends' sub. With them only inches away no less!

Punk waved his hands around erratically as if physically clearing the air. "Alright guys, that's enough. Let's get down to business."

Dean chuckled some but his face suddenly went solemn. "We want that high and mighty asshole to suffer. You know; maybe take his balls like we did Hunter. Then we fucking kill him. There's not much else to it."

"There's a little more to it," corrected Roman. "It needs to be discreet. And I don't want his family involved at all. They need to be under the impression he just up and disappeared. Maybe even fabricate some pics so it looks like he ran off with another woman."

"Hmmm… I can do that. Timetable?" Punk picked up some of the remaining calamari and dropped it into his mouth.

"Whatever works for you Punk, is fine. We just want you to do some recon for us since he doesn't know your face. Maybe even help luring him somewhere that we can nab him." Roman raised his hand up to flag down the waitress.

For a couple of minutes the conversation shifted so that the three men could put in their entrée orders. Once they were alone again the murderous conversation resumed like nothing had happened.

"If I'm doing recon, he won't ever see my face," said Punk with a grin. "Besides, I'm not the one that alerted an entire house full of angry bikers to my presence by knocking over their bikes trying to sneak in the back."

Dean burst out laughing. "I remember that! Rome nearly got his ass beat!"

Roman's face went red at the memory and he shook his head. "Can we move on, please?" When there were no objections (other than the sound of Dean trying to stifle his laughter) he continued. "Thank you. Now, Punk we're going to have no choice but to leave the bulk of the legwork up to you. Sandow knows that we know so we can't appear to be doing anything that might be viewed as suspicious."

Punk cocked his head as his mouth turned down in a furious scowl. "What?! That's fucking crucial information, Leakee!" Then at seeing how tense both Dean and Roman got, he closed his eyes briefly and sighed. "You threatened him didn't you? Jesus…"

Annoyed now, Dean glared at Punk. "What's the big deal? He's dead either way! He just knows we're coming, that's all."

"You two are so motherfucking stupid!" Punk all but yelled. Forcing himself to keep his voice down, he glanced around the room for a second before bringing his attention back to them. "What makes you think this Sandow fellow isn't just like that asshole, Hunter? Huh?! How do you know he doesn't have a bunch of mercenaries on speed dial, ready to blow your fucking brains out right now?"

Judging by how utterly still both Ambrose and Reigns went, it was clear that this scenario hadn't even occurred to them. It was entirely possible that they may have put themselves and their pretty boy in danger. For once Punk's paranoia made perfect sense. Whose to say that Sandow wouldn't do something to Seth just to hurt them?

"Fuck," whispered Dean. His hand went straight to his collarbone, rubbing insistently as he was filled with sudden anxiety.

"Yeah… fuck." Punk took a deep breath in through his nose and blew it out slowly.

Dean elbowed Roman hard in his side. "Call Seth."

Roman wet his lips then glanced at the time. "If he's still at the gym, he may not answer."

"I don't care! Fucking call him!"

Punk said nothing. He merely watched, anxious as well, while Roman pulled Seth's name up on his phone and hit 'Call'. All three men waited impatiently for the pretty boy to pick up. On the fourth ring, right as Dean looked as if he was about to lose it, Roman visibly relaxed as Seth finally came on the line. Punk could hear the princess' voice, high and tinny through the phone but instantly recognizable. Instantly that dream was once again at the forefront of his mind, tantalizingly vivid. It took everything Punk had in him to try and shift his focus and though it was a struggle, he managed.

Eventually Roman got off the phone. Although it was clear that Seth was perfectly fine, he was painfully aware that that might not last. Dean's thoughts seemed to be going down a similar path as he was still rubbing at his shoulder. Even after the waitress came with their plates of food, the atmosphere at the table remained quiet and tense.

When they finished eating it was Punk who spoke up.

"Let's go back to my place. We've got some planning to do."

**C**

Meanwhile across town, plans of a similar variety were being made.

Cesaro was currently at the apartment of his current partner, Kevin Owens. He'd chosen Owens for this particular assignment because although he looked fairly average in appearance, Kevin was one of the more efficient and deadly people that Cesaro knew. The French-Canadian could hide his accent at will to sound as if he was from the Midwest and being able to blend in is most beneficial when trying to get close to your prey.

At the moment Cesaro was seated in the sparsely furnished living room (his whole apartment had that just moved in look to it), waiting for Kevin to come out of the bathroom. When he finally did he took a seat on the other end of the couch from Cesaro.

"Alright then, what's this all about?"

Cesaro picked up the remote and turned the TV off. "Two… no, scratch that, _three_ males that were going to hit. The client wants this to be quiet and clean so he can't be linked to it."

Owens looked visibly disappointed at that news. He was quite fond of messy kills and allowing his prey the chance to get away or defending themselves. "Ah geez, you know how I hate neat kills. Is that really necessary?"

At that Cesaro smiled and he knew it wasn't a pleasant one. "I just said that's what the client wants. What he wants and what will happen might be a bit different. The men we're going after damn near crippled me last year and killed my comrades. Them intentionally threatening our client is why I was brought in so it all worked out. I'm inclined to get a little payback."

Kevin raised both eyebrows comically. "Ah, business with a little bit of pleasure thrown in then?" Eyes crinkling with mirth, the bearded man threw his head back and laughed loudly. "Fucking glorious, Antonio. This will be a lot of fun!"

"Yes, it will. But first I'm going to need you to go to their house and scope the place out. I might be recognized so it has to be you. These three men live together in some kind of threesome arrangement. The two older men are extremely dangerous Kevin so watch your ass out there."

"Not a problem." Owens was rubbing at his beard now, thoughtfully. "When are you wanting to take 'em down?"

Antonio shrugged. "I'm not sure yet. But our client has reason to believe that these men mean him harm so it'll need to be soon. I've already told him to get his family out of the way in case they try something."

Owens nodded. "Good thinking. Plus we could use the man as bait if it comes to that."

Cesaro tented his fingers and grinned. "Exactly."

 


	4. I Was Born Sick... But I Love It

A loud moan from his own throat startled Dean awake. Still groggy from his fitful sleep he glanced downward and saw that his and Rome's sub was hard at work, administering their morning blowjobs. Seth was nude in between the two of them, on his knees at their hips, taking turns sucking them sloppily. For a few sweet moments, Dean allowed his eyes to roll back in his head while their sub swallowed him down. Then groaned at the shock of cold air for a few seconds when Rollins' mouth was replaced by his hand while he wrapped his lips around Roman's hard length.

Always enjoyable, Dean turned his head to watch Roman's face. The caramel skinned man's eyes were closed and his mouth hung open as continuous low moans filled the room. Dean could tell he was close and Seth figured it out not to long after. Roman suddenly gripped the pretty boy's head with both hands and began thrusting up into his mouth. Seth had to take his hand away from Dean to brace himself on the bed or he was going to choke. When Roman came it was with a guttural moan and he watched under heavy lids Seth swallow his seed with a deep sense of satisfaction.

The pretty boy barely had a chance to inhale before Dean yanked him over to his lap. The dirty blonde was sitting up now with his back against the headboard muttering curses over and over under his breath as Seth engulfed his length once more. He was content to let Seth go at his own pace or he was likely to come much too quickly. But then heard as well as felt the pretty boy moan and he hissed at the delightful vibration. On the other side of the bed Roman had gotten to his knees behind Seth and was jerking the sub's cock with slow smooth strokes.

The Samoan couldn't stop his grin. Seth's head bobbing was more frantic now and the intensity of his slurping had his other Dom writhing on the bed.

Dean finally cracked his eyes open a bit, not really surprised by Roman working over their pretty boy. And even in his pleasure induced haze he could tell that Seth was getting close. He was already pretty worked up before Roman's hand job. Smirking, he pushed Seth's head down till his nose was flush with his pubic bone.

Seth had a brief moment of panic as Dean's cock filled his throat, subsequently stopping his breath. He looked up into brilliant blue eyes and loved what he saw there.

"Now, I'm close pretty boy. I'm real fucking close. So you better not cum before I do." Dean let go of Seth's head, relishing the feel of his teeth grazing him as the younger man came up for air. A quick gasp and Seth was back on the job, sucking his dick as if his life depended on it. But behind him Roman had every intention of making him fail. One of his favorite pastimes was watching Dean punish their pretty boy. In a bid to make that happen Roman wet two of his fingers and slowly began working them inside of Seth's tight hole. For a moment Seth forgot himself, stopping mid bob to rock back, hoping to coax his fingers even deeper. The Samoan chuckled evilly at the annoyed look on Dean's face then laughed out loud when the dirty blonde once again choked Seth on his dick.

That was the last warning the sub needed. Despite being desperate to cum himself, Seth doubled his efforts, even upping the sloppiness slurping loudly because he knew it was sure to tip his Dom over the edge. In a few short moments he had a mouthful of his early morning reward, always both bitter and sweet; it was something he truly couldn't get enough of.

Dean's orgasm struck so hard that he slammed his head back into the headboard. He honestly didn't even feel it.

"Mmm," murmured Seth, licking his lips. "Oh god…" Roman hadn't ceased jerking him off and he was perilously close to coming without permission. Groaning, he sat up on his knees and let his head fall back on Roman's shoulder, whom had yet to break stride.

"Please Sir… may I cum?!"

Roman licked a line up the side of Seth's neck, pleased to feel him shudder. "Is that what you want, pretty boy? You ready to cum?"

Seth nodded vigorously his breaths coming in quick pants. "Yes, yes, please!"

Lips pursed, he looked over Seth's head at Dean spent form still against the headboard. "I dunno, Dean. What do you think?"

Despite his limbs still feeling like they were made of jello, he gave both men a wicked grin as he pretended to contemplate Roman's question. He could see that their pretty boy had gone rigid and there was near panic on his face as he fought to keep his orgasm at bay.

Dean let a few more agonizing seconds pass by before he answered. "You know what, Rome? I think he's earned it."

Roman nibbled and sucked on Seth's earlobe then whispering, "Cum for us, baby."

When Seth regained consciousness he was laying on his back between his two Doms with firm kisses being rained down upon his face. All three of them were underneath the blanket and Dean and Roman's arms were linked across his body.

Both Doms smiled at him when they saw that he was awake.

Roman pressed a soft kiss to Seth's lips. "Good morning."

The younger man gave a shaky chuckle and replied with, "Good morning."

"You've got to stop scaring us like that, Seth," said Roman with a shake of his head.

The younger man blushed. "I didn't mean to!"

"I don't know, Rome." Dean wiggled his eyebrows at his partner. "I kinda like it when he passes out. It means shit got intense."

Roman wanted to glare at Dean, maybe even slug him in the arm but just couldn't bring himself to do it. He was worried. In all actuality both he and Dean had been trying like hell to keep their fears and worries to themselves all weekend. But what Punk had said about Sandow possibly hurting Seth to get to them first nearly had them sick. Then later at his new loft, Punk mentioned several times that they tell Seth what was happening so he could take steps to protect himself. Punk had even suggested that he could do even more to help keep their pretty boy safe if Seth was no longer in the dark. But both Doms vetoed that out right. They were determined to keep their sub happy and oblivious. So far it seemed to be working but it was taxing.

Still, that didn't stop either man from trying to convince Seth to skip working at the gym to spend the workday with them as their 'intern' once again. Dean casually mentioned it during their shower and then Roman after breakfast while they were gathering jackets, briefcases and gym bags.

"You sure you don't want to come to work with us?" Roman handed Seth his Camelback water bottle as all three of them walked out the door.

Seth nodded. "Yes I'm sure. Not that I don't want to but I've got three new clients to start training _and_ I've got to be there to help approve the plans for the expansion. I really just can't skip it today."

Dean and Roman glanced at each other, their thoughts damn near identical. As his Doms they could just order Seth to come with them but not only would that have a negative professional impact on their sub, he would also know that something was seriously wrong. They just had to trust that they and Punk were working faster than Sandow and whatever forces he had on his side.

Seth set his bag in the backseat of his car and was going to tell his Doms 'goodbye' when he stopped cold at the looks on their faces. He couldn't really read their expressions but it was troubling nonetheless.

"Umm… if you really want me to… I can see about cutting out today…" Despite what he had going on at work the last thing Seth wanted was to disappoint his Doms.

The concern in his voice snapped both men out of it and they mentally cursed themselves for it.

"No pretty boy, it's fine." Dean reached out, grabbed the waistband of Seth's gym shorts and yanked, bringing him in close for a kiss. It was a passionate lip lock that deepened quickly. Their moment was interrupted however by giggles and some loud blehs of mock disgust.

"Hey! Why don't you guys get a room?"

The three men looked up to see a group of the neighborhood teens walking past their house on their way to the bus stop up the street. The girls always seemed to have a curious look of envy and longing when in their presence, and now was no exception. The boys liked to badger them good naturedly, especially if the girls were around.

"We don't need a room, we've got a house!" retorted Dean with a snort. "Now go to school!"

The oldest boy in the group waved at them. "Yo, Mr. Reigns? Are you still coming to our football game this week?"

Roman waved back. "I'll try Mike but I can't make any promises."

"You probably shouldn't," added the young girl in front. "Jenny's mom is just going spend the whole game flirting with you."

Jenny was there in the group of kids but she said nothing as everyone else laughed. The sudden pink in her cheeks was a confirmation enough of that accusation though.

Roman merely grinned. "You all better hurry up or you'll miss the bus!"

The kids murmured some combinations of 'yeah, we know' and continued on their way. Seth took that opportunity to step away from Dean to give Roman a goodbye kiss as well. After he got in his car and drove off, Seth reflected on the morning's events. He wasn't sure but something seemed to be going on. His Doms were as attentive as always but every once in a while they had a look… like something was weighing on them.

_"_ _I wonder what it could be…"_

**P**

Punk watched his friends say their goodbyes from his vantage point in the stolen panel van a few houses down. Unable to sleep last night he began putting step one of his plan into action. That involved going to the local satellite company and stealing one of their service vans. Taking the vehicle was the easy part. The hard part came when he needed to hack into the company's database and alter the logs so it looked as if an employee was using it for the day. If their employees were the slightest bit competent then the ruse wouldn't last too long so that meant he had to work fast. This was only the first stop on his list.

As soon as the three men pulled out of the driveway in their separate cars Punk started the van up and parked it in their driveway. In an effort to disguise his appearance he wore some grey coveralls and covered his hair with black baseball cap. At first glance he definitely looked the part of a satellite installer. When he got out of the van he went straight to the back and opened the doors pulling out a large black duffle bag full of equipment and tools.

At Leakee and Jon's steadfast refusal to let Seth know about the Sandow threat, Punk decided to take it upon himself to bug their entire house to do his own audio and video surveillance. He didn't tell either man about this because he knew they wouldn't agree. His friends valued their privacy but as far as Punk was concerned that shit might get them and the princess killed.

Thankful that their neighbors appeared to be at work, he went ahead and picked the lock to the front door. A loud beeping let him know that the alarm was activated and he only had about thirty seconds to bypass it. Luckily the panel was on the wall nearest the front door. And despite the high quality of the system it took Punk no time at all to deactivate the alarm. Once that was done Punk set about hacking into the security system and the camera feeds. He knew he had to be careful with this because the wrong move or missing a step completely would have the security company (and subsequently Leakee and Jon) aware that someone was trying to access their feeds.

When the last wire was crossed and clipped Punk was finally able to breathe a sigh of relief. Now the only thing he had left to do was erase the fact that he was even here. And he could do that from inside the van (provided his friends didn't check the feed at work but why would they?). Punk moved fast gathering up his equipment and trying to get the fuck out of dodge. But right as he was about to leave out the front door, he stopped.

_"_ _What would it hurt if I just took a look around?"_ he thought. This was the first time he'd ever been inside Jon and Leakee's home and he was beyond curious. For a few seconds more he wavered, to stay or to go?

_"_ _I'll be quick."_ Decision made, Punk set his bag down and moved swiftly through the house. As he looked around he was surprised to see that Jon and Leakee's taste was very similar to his own; clean and modern and at times ornate. He peered at everything, every piece of furniture and knick-knack, taking note despite knowing that if he ever got invited here, he would have to act as if he'd never been inside.

When he got to the master bedroom upstairs though, he stopped and stared. Like the rest of the house the room was gorgeous but Punk's focus went immediately to the immense bed. The pillows were askew and the sheets were rumpled. That and a few tell-tale stains on the fabric told Punk everything he needed to know about their morning activities.

White hot pain lanced its way through the inked man's chest causing him to gasp and he staggered, having to brace himself on the bed post. His free hand went to his chest, massaging the area above his heart though it did little ease his pain. It wasn't just jealousy anymore like when they came to his house last year. Now there was lust, maybe love; an intense longing for Seth Rollins. Punk's mind was going a million miles a minute just imagining the things his friends did to the princess in this very bed.

He felt hot. He felt sick. But his dick was hardening just the same.

Briefly his mind flashed on the memory of Leakee, Jon and the princess' first night at his home. He remembered how he found them the next morning, his two best friends on either side of the bed with the princess wide awake in between them. Before he could stop himself he'd already snatched a pillow from the center of the bed, bringing it up to his face quickly and inhaling. Instantly Punk was surrounded by the unique scent that was Seth. Sure he could smell traces of his best friends, (they shared a bed of course) but this was clearly the princess' pillow. Suddenly he was transported back to that night when Hunter's goons raided his house; when Punk had shielded the younger man's body with his own amongst a hailstorm of bullets. And later when in his bunker he had to force the princess to stay put after Mark had gotten shot. Then that last goodbye in his garage, the one and only time he had pressed his lips to...

"Oh god… what am I doing?!"

Disgusted with himself Punk threw the pillow back down on the bed and rushed down the stairs, making sure to grab his bag as he left out of the house. By the time he got situated in the van he was sweaty and shaky. There was an unopened bottle of water in the cup holder and he quickly twisted the cap and gulped down half of it. Feeling slightly better he put the bottle back down and allowed his head to rest on the steering wheel for a moment.

"Fuck… what the hell is _wrong_ with me?!" Shaking his head, Punk still couldn't believe what he'd just done. But he couldn't dwell on it. He already had been here too long and still had one more stop to make before he could ditch the van. Taking a deep breath he reached for his laptop, opened it and erased all of the digital evidence of his presence in their home. It wasn't until he was in the midst of deleting that he discovered that Jon and Leakee had cameras in every room of their house. Punk couldn't decide if that was strange or not, paranoid or not considering last year's events but commended his friends on their home security. It was top of the line and was designed to deter the most skillful criminals and to keep even the most determined hackers out.

But Punk wasn't most hackers.

**K**

Kevin Owens usually enjoyed going undercover. He got a thrill out of pretending to be someone else, to have another person's life. But the client's wife, Lisa Sandow was really starting to get on his nerves.

Cesaro had cleared it with Sandow already that Kevin was to come and install a new "security" system in their home while he was out. The man's daughters were at school so that left Kevin to deal with the missus whom was a stay at home mom. Sandow had told Lisa about Owens' arrival and she had insisted on missing her book club meeting to make sure the man did what he was supposed to do and nothing else. Despite the Sandow's never having been robbed, Lisa was extremely worried about their possessions being taken so anytime someone was working on their home she insisted on being there.

Luckily for Kevin she wasn't the slightest technologically inclined so she had no clue what he was actually doing. He _was_ setting up a security system of sorts but the feed was to go directly to his and Cesaro's computers.

At the moment Kevin was in the den, setting up some monitors with feeds from the cameras he'd put up outside. Lisa was in the kitchen with a mimosa in one hand while she talked on the phone with the device held in place with her head and shoulder.

"I know Tonya! I know! Damien says he feels bad about not being able to come but he wants me and the girls to go and have fun. Deirdre is going to miss soccer practice and Deanna isn't going to see her violin instructor but they can make it up when we get back. We haven't been to Disney World in a couple of years. No! No!" Lisa laughed before taking a sip of her drink. "Yeah I think he'll be fine without us for a week. Plus it'll give Damien some peace to work on this new business proposal. I know, right?"

"I've just about got it Miss!" called Owens from underneath the desk. He heard her yell back some vague response before laughing and carrying on on the phone once more. Kevin muttered something unpleasant under his breath as he crawled out from under the desk. Sitting in the ridiculous overstuffed computer chair he pulled up the feed from the cameras outside. The pictures were sharp and in color. He was ready to give himself a pat on the back when he saw a vehicle camera one pull up to the already open gate and down the driveway.

Eyes narrowed he yelled out in the direction of the kitchen, "You expecting anyone Mrs. Sandow?"

"Just a minute, Tonya." Lisa walked over to the den and shook her head. "No. Why?"

"Because someone's here, ma'am." He pointed to the monitor with camera 3 showing an individual walking up to the front door.

The woman merely rolled her eyes and headed straight for the foyer right as the doorbell rang. As soon as Lisa was out of sight, Kevin reached into his waistband for the pistol he kept there. Although he and Cesaro weren't expecting the men to make a move today, Owens made sure to come prepared. He glanced at the monitor once more and could see the man more clearly who appeared to be wearing grey coveralls and black baseball cap so low on his head that Kevin couldn't see his face.

Lisa opened the door, her elegant eyebrows raising a little. "Yes?"

"Hi! I'm Phil, I'm from Telcast your satellite provider. Our system shows that your box appears to be malfunctioning. Do you mind if I come in and take a look at it?"

Lisa looked the man up and down derisively. "Oh I assure you my _box_ is perfectly fine. But you're welcome to come in and check the receiver." Tonya, still on the phone heard this and laughed high and loud.

Punk's eyes widened at the woman's response, simultaneously impressed and amused. But since he was supposed to be a working company man he ducked his head shyly and gave an 'aw-shucks' chuckle before stepping inside.

The woman whom Punk could only assume was Sandow's wife led him into the living room where the TV waited. They passed by the den where a bearded man stood with an unreadable expression on his face and fisted hands on his hips.

Lisa waved dismissively in Owens' direction. "Don't worry about him, Phil. He's just here installing some security system for my husband. He'll be leaving shortly."

Punk made a noncommittal sound in his throat as he followed her but could feel the hairs on the back of his neck standing up. That man hadn't taken his eyes off of him since he entered the house.

Lisa walked back into the kitchen gabbing away, while Punk set his bag down. He knelt down beside it, trying to decide just how he was going to do this with two people in the house when once again he felt a prickling at his nape. He looked over his shoulder and the heavyset bearded man in the den was still staring at him. There was some serious weight to his gaze and Punk almost reached for the gun he had hidden in an ankle holster.

The two men eyed each other for a few seconds with identical thoughts going through their minds;

_"_ _Something's not right…"_

 


	5. Too Much Paranoias?

After a long tense moment it was Punk who broke the silence.

"You got a problem, man?"

Owens forced himself to relax and try to appear nonthreatening. "No problem. I was just finishing up here." He shrugged his shoulders a bit before jamming his hands into his pockets. "So what're you doing over there?"

Punk chewed on his lip ring before rattling off a vague answer that had little to do with anything. Although the bearded man appeared to accept his response, Punk could tell that he was still eyeing him with suspicion. Still wary himself Punk opened his mouth to ask just what security company he worked for when Lisa walked back into the hallway.

Hips cocked to the side and her lips pursed she gave Owens an annoyed glare. "Are you just about done? I need to get to the computer and print out our itinerary for our trip tomorrow."

Owens gave a suffering sigh. "Yes ma'am. I'm all finished in here. Just have your husband call me if he has any questions." He was slow to turn his back on Punk but went to pack up his equipment just the same. Once he was done he picked up his bag in one hand and toolbox in the other and left the den but not without giving Punk another lingering once over. Kevin said his goodbyes to Lisa who couldn't be bothered to walk him to the door so the man just took his leave. After he was settled in his truck he put in a call to Cesaro. The Swiss man answered on the second ring.

"Yo, Antonio! I'm on my way back now. Just as I was done with the setup, this satellite repair guy showed up."

Cesaro gave a surprised grunt. "Did he look like either of the descriptions I gave you?"

Kevin shook his head as he pulled out of the driveway. "Nope. This was a caucasion male, approximately 6'1 and maybe 220. He had short dark brown hair, a goatee and a few visible tattoos along with a lip ring."

"What was his build?"

"Hard to say, Antonio. He was wearing coveralls. Broad shouldered is about all I can tell you. While I know he wasn't one of the other three targets, he still got under my skin. Something just didn't seem right about him." At the end of the long driveway, Owens looked back using the rearview mirror. The other man hadn't come out of the house yet.

Cesaro made a thoughtful sound in his throat. "Hmm… I guess we should just keep an eye out for him. He may well have been a simple satellite repair tech but if your gut tells you he's more than that then that's what we'll go with. You see him again, intercept and interrogate. Kill him if necessary. For now we keep everything on schedule. Your appointment is in four hours, don't be late."

"No problem," replied Kevin before ending the call. Antonio wanted him to trust his gut. Well, his gut was telling him that that was no satellite repair man but little else. When he made it back to his apartment he would check the video feeds from Sandow's home. If anything was the slightest bit off he planned to track down _Phil_ and take him out.

**P**

After the bearded man left the house Punk was finally able to relax. Lisa was paying him virtually no attention and since he was left to his own devices he was able to find a way to hack into the security system already in place. Unfortunately he wouldn't be able to change cameras from his remote location back at the loft without calling attention to the bug he used but he could view whatever was already being looked at, by either Sandow or the security company themselves. It was the best he could do under such limited time constraints and especially due to the complicated setup of the security system. Considering that it was only installed today, Punk had to assume that Sandow was taking Leakee and Jon's threat seriously.

That worried Punk quite a bit and he hurried to finish everything so he could get out of there. He still had to dump the van and then make it back to the loft before the princess got off work. Punk wanted to view the entire property to make sure no nasty surprises awaited Seth when he got home.

When Punk finished he let Lisa know who, in no uncertain terms told him that she was ready to have the house to herself again. As he walked out and headed for the stolen van, Punk paused. He stared at the vehicle, suddenly concerned about its safety. Could the bearded man have been a mercenary hired by Sandow to hunt down his friends? It was more than obvious that the man appeared suspicious of him but if he was an actual security personnel that wasn't too out of the ordinary. Still, just to be safe he opened the driver's side door with caution before checking underneath the steering column and around the dashboard looking for anything different or out of place. When he found nothing he still wasn't satisfied and got down on all fours took check out the vehicle's undercarriage. Still nothing. His worry eased but a small part of it remained.

An hour later he had dumped the van in a remote location outside the city and was back in his own Jeep. Punk drove to his new loft feeling like he got quite a bit accomplished during the day. After parking it in the underground garage he rode the elevator up to his apartment. It was unfortunate that a middle aged woman just happened to step in the lift behind him. This was the first time Punk had had any contact with one of his new neighbors and he just knew he wasn't making a good impression. With the piercing, facial hair and tattoos most people tended to be cautious around him. Add in the fact that he was sporting pretty large bags under his eyes due to lack of sleep and he looked more like a meth addict. The woman in the elevator with him was doing her damndest not to shrink back from him all while clutching her purse tightly to her chest. Since he was trying to remain inconspicuous, Punk just ignored her. She hurried off at the floor below his and it was then that he finally rolled his eyes and let out an audible sigh.

Once inside the loft he went straight for the bedroom turned computer room and set his bag of equipment down. It didn't take long for him to pull up the feeds from both his friends' home and Sandow's. Both homes appeared to be empty at the moment.

Punk glanced at the nearby clock. "Hmm… It's after 1. Guess that's why I'm hungry," he said with a chuckle. Deciding he wasn't likely to miss anything he went into the kitchen area to fix himself something to eat. It would be a while before any of his friends made it home.

**S**

"Come on, Sara! You've got this!"

Sara was mid lunge and couldn't disagree more. The wife and mother of four had joined the gym recently, citing her motivation as needing to be able to run and play with her young children (also getting back into her favorite pair of jeans). Right now at the forefront of her mind was the burning in her quads and hamstrings. She dropped the 8 pound weights she was holding at her sides then collapsed to the floor.

"This is hard, Seth! I hurt all over! I'll never be able to keep up with my kids if I'm in pain all the time!"

Seth couldn't help his chuckle. "I know you're sore, Sara but it's worth it. I promise. But you have to stick to it." He held his hand out to her and helped her to feet.

"Well If I want to get back into those jeans I guess I don't have a choice. It's only four months till my girlfriends and I hit Vegas!" Just the mere thought of that Ladies only trip was enough to bring a genuine smile to Sara's face.

Seth grinned at her then gave her a little push towards the mat. "Well let's do some stretching first. Then you can go home to your kids."

Sometime later Seth was back in his office. He had a little bit of time in between clients and thought he'd get through some memos and entry forms. Abruptly though, his mind went to his Doms as it often did when he was alone. Seth loved his job but a part of him was always just counting down the minutes until he was with Roman and Dean again. They were everything to him; he couldn't imagine life without them.

But in remembering how strange they both looked this morning Seth was afraid something might be wrong. He wanted to talk to CM Punk about it but the man had been MIA for several days already. When Seth had asked Roman about the radio silence his Dom had replied with, 'Sometimes Punk will go completely off the grid; especially if he's doing shit for The Outlaws. Don't worry baby, we'll hear from him sooner or later.'

The phone ringing snapped Rollins back into the present. He picked up the receiver and answered quickly, "Hello?"

"Hey, Seth! Your 3 o'clock is here!" Leslie sounded particularly chipper today and Seth made sure to let her know. The young woman only laughed and then whispered into the receiver, "I know you're not into Bears or what-have-you but this guy isn't half bad!"

"Leslie!" Seth exclaimed, instantly exasperated. The receptionist had figured out that he was gay when Dean had come to pick him up one day. Leslie happened to be walking outside and promptly found them making out against the side of Ambrose's car. Her squeals of shock were forever imprinted into Seth's brain. He just considered himself lucky that she hadn't seen him being sandwiched between both his Doms which was the norm whenever he was with Roman and Dean together. He was positive her head would have exploded.

Still shaking his head he added, "I'll be up front in a minute."

Seth found himself fingering his collar as he walked out onto the open floor. He was still concerned about his Doms but chose not to focus on that right now. Snatching his hand away from his neck Seth made his way to the front. Near the desk he spotted the new client. The man was about his height, not exactly fat but solid. He had short brown hair and a full beard. Almost everything he wore was black with the exception of stripes of grey on the sides of his shorts. The man smiled at his approach while slinging his jacket over his shoulder.

Seth reached out his hand. "Mr. Steen?"

The bearded man smiled even wider before grasping the offered hand and giving it a firm shake. "You can just call me Kevin."

"Seth Rollins. Everyone calls me Seth." He returned the man's smile as he dropped the handshake. "Why don't I show you where the lockers are and then we'll get started?"

An hour and half later both men were sweating. Seth had figured out rather quickly that Kevin was in pretty good shape. The bearded man ended up spilling the beans once Seth began questioning him. He claimed that he just needed help with a new workout plan since he'd hit a plateau. Still, Seth was impressed with the man's fortitude and was more than happy to help.

Inside Kevin Owens was beyond ecstatic. Despite the fact that he was excercising he was doing all he could to learn about his target. Seth Rollins appeared to be blissfully unaware of the danger he was in. He didn't exhibit any signs of anger or anxiety one would expect in his current situation. Owens couldn't wait to tell Cesaro that the youngest of the trio targets knew nothing of the Sandow situation.

_"_ _Real fucking stupid of them to leave the lad in the dark," thought Owens while racking his weights. "But it makes my job a whole hell of a lot easier…"_

Once they were done Seth walked with Kevin to the lockers.

"Same time tomorrow?" asked Rollins. He was smiling; glad to have been able to spend some time training someone that already had a firm baseline to work with.

Kevin shook his head. "Actually, I'll be coming in at 7. Is that alright?" He cocked his head to the side, waiting for an answer.

Seth looked skyward, thinking. "That should be fine," he answered slowly. "But you'll be my last client for the evening."

Unable to stop it, Kevin gave a fierce grin. "Good. That means I'll have your full attention."

 


	6. Way Too Far

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Theme song for this chapter is 'Way Too Far' by Korn.

Punk awoke out of a light sleep to a blaring alarm coming from the computer room. He pushed himself off the couch and stumbled into the room. The alarm was a notification that someone had entered Jon and Leakee's home. When he pulled up the cameras, Punk was relieved to see that it was only Seth. Satisfied that the princess wasn't in any immediate danger, Punk sat down in the computer chair, watching as Seth went from room to room. The younger man seemed to be keeping to a daily routine which Punk found rather intriguing. It was likely Leakee's doing, making sure their sub got everything accomplished that he needed to before he and Jon got home. That was evidenced by Seth putting what looked like some type of leftover pasta dish in the oven before going upstairs to the hallway bathroom for a shower. That was one of the few rooms in the house that didn't have a camera setup and Punk couldn't decide if he was more disappointed or relieved.

Once clean and dry and only clad in a small pair of bikini briefs (Punk groaned inwardly at the sight of him in those), Seth went back downstairs. He turned the oven down to warm, set the kitchen table for his Doms and went into the office. Punk watched with wide eyes as the princess went straight to the CB radio he'd given him last year.

Seth sat down in Dean's office chair and turned the unit on. Hearing static, he brought the mic up to his lips.

"Punk? Punk, are you there? Over."

The tatted man looked over at his CB radio. His unit was on and he heard Seth loud and clear. It'd been over a week since he'd spoken to the princess and god… how he missed hearing his voice. He wanted to respond, was itching to really but was worried about giving Leakee and Jon a reason to beat the shit out of him. Punk knew that if he spoke to Seth, he'd tell him all about Sandow and what they were trying to do. And it wouldn't be the first time Punk had put his nose in his friends' business. No, it was better to stay silent.

Punk worried his lip ring with his teeth. Sighing, he shook his head and brought his attention back to the screen. "I'm sorry princess…"

Seth waited another minute before trying again. "Punk? Please…? I really need to talk to you."

The younger man sounded distressed. There was an edge in his voice that Punk hadn't heard in a long time. Punk was out of the chair and two steps away from the radio when he realized what he was doing. Muttering a curse under his breath, the older man went and sat back down. He watched as Rollins paced a little in front of the unit before reaching down and switching it off.

Punk felt badly about ignoring Seth's attempt at contact. Another expletive fell from his lips as he scrubbed a hand over his face. He was trying his damndest to do right by everyone here but it was really fucking hard. Seth left the office but Punk's attention suddenly was drawn to the other set of monitors. It appeared that Sandow and his family had made it home. The four of them entered the house, the two little girls bouncing on ahead while Lisa and Damien stayed outside, chatting at the front door. It didn't look like they were arguing or anything, just talking. Punk was annoyed at the lack of sound but was happy he'd finally gotten a good look at the threat.

The inked man nodded to himself. "Soon, asshole. We're going to meet real fucking soon…"

Movement on the monitors to his left caused Punk to swivel in his chair and what he saw nearly staggered him.

"Oh fuck…"

In the ten or so minutes that Punk was watching the Sandow family, Seth Rollins had gone back up to the master bedroom, shed his underwear and was now on all fours in the center of the bed, face down among the pillows, his tight ass up in the air.

"Wha… Shit Seth…. What the fuck are you doing?!" Punk was so shocked that he barely registered his growing hardness.

He figured out what was due to happen pretty quickly when Jon and Leakee entered the room. Punk couldn't even be annoyed with himself for failing to notice when his friends had gotten home. At the moment he was enthralled. He watched Jon saunter up to the bed, trail long fingers along the curve of Seth's ass, stopping only to give it a smack. Seth seemed to tremble and it made Punk wish that he could see his face.

He hated that he couldn't.

Off to the side Roman had completely disrobed and was climbing into bed next to the princess. Dean was near the foot of the bed, undressing as well. Roman said something to Seth and it made the younger man push back to sit up so that he was on his knees. The Samoan gave a devious smile before cupping the back of Seth's head and bringing him forward for a kiss. In that moment Dean joined them in bed, on his knees as well, positioning himself behind the younger man with his dick in hand.

"Shit!" Groaning, Punk chewed his lip, his body on fire in a mix of anxiety and lust. Dimly Punk realized that he was wrong for watching this. He tried to turn away, tried to get up, to leave the room and give his friends some semblance of privacy.

"I gotta go… Fuck, I need to-"

But his eyes were still glued to the silent video feed. He watched Seth break away from Roman's lips, crying out at Dean's smooth entry. He saw the princess' face, eyes heavy lidded, lips kiss swollen… and further south, Seth's thick hardness bouncing with each snap of Ambrose's hips… And in front of them both, Roman was slowly fisting his cock, saying something that seemed to excite Seth and spur Dean on faster.

It was much too late. Punk was caught now; riveted to the scene before him. His own dick was heavy and hard against his thigh. He was tempted to free it, to jerk himself to completion while he watched his friends fuck. But somehow, a tiny part of him, the only part of him capable of rationalizing, realized that that would be taking it way too far.

So he just watched.

Punk didn't know just how much time passed before the three men collapsed in a sweaty heap among the sheets. But the room which previously held the glow of late evening as the sun went down was now pitch black with only grayish hues of the monitors to see by. Punk stared at the screen, pain igniting his chest as a different kind of longing filled his heart. Seth was being spooned by Roman now while Dean lay in front of him running fingers through his hair. The blonde said something that made the other two laugh. Seth looked happy and content. Whatever worrisome thing he wanted to speak to CM Punk about earlier was apparently forgotten.

Despite the heartache, Punk was still ridiculously hard. Sighing in defeat he forced himself away from the monitors so he could make his way to the bathroom for a cold shower.

After stripping, Punk walked into the shower and closed the door behind him. He turned the water on as cold as he could stand it before stepping underneath the spray. The cold water wasn't doing a damn thing to help, his dick flat out refusing to go down. He was feverish with need as dueling images of his remembered dream about Seth and what he just witnessed moments before flooded his mind.

He placed one palm on the tile above him to brace himself while his other hand closed around his raging hard on. There was a brief moment where Punk held still; at war with himself over chasing such a release.

Then he was jerking himself, hard and fast. His soft curses and moans echoed inside the bathroom as the cool water continued to beat on top of his head. He tried to keep only the dream in mind but as he got closer to orgasm all he could see was Seth getting fucked by his best friends. Every moment, every position played in his mind like his own personal porno. And when he came it was so strong, so overwhelming that his breath caught in his throat and his knees shook, making him feel faint.

Punk slid down to the floor of the frigid shower till he was seated on the tiles. The brief euphoria of his release was followed instantly by a crippling, suffocating shame.

"Jesus, I'm sick…" whispered Punk. "What the fuck is _wrong_ with me?" He pulled his knees up to his chest and wrapped his arms around them. He was starting to feel the cold now and shivered under the spray but couldn't find the energy to get up or move at all.

The princess wasn't just under his skin now. What had started out last year as a forbidden yearning had quickly turned into something bigger, something dirty. He just spied on his friends at their most intimate and vulnerable then jerked off afterwards. Punk's actions nauseated and repulsed him but in spite of that he found himself wishing that he could do it again. Anything to see that pure unadulterated lust and joy on the princess' face.

 


	7. At The Shrine Of Your Lies

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I was struck with a massive wall of writer's block with this chapter, rewrites galore, so I'm excited to finally have it up for you all. I hope everyone enjoys it. Keep reading and reviewing!

Insomnia was an utter bitch.

Punk was exhausted, mentally and physically. His body craved sleep desperately but it simply wouldn't come. So he paced the loft restlessly, going from one area to the next like a hopeless phantom. More often than not he would find himself in his makeshift office/computer room. He would tell himself that it was just to check on _them_ , to make sure they were safe.

Seth's face, though hard to see in the darkened bedroom appeared serene as he dreamed. His best friends, on the other hand, seemed to be restless. Often he caught Leakee tossing and turning. His jostling in bed, while it didn't disturb the princess, definitely affected Jon. The dirty blonde would shift in response to his partner's movement, his lips moving as if he were muttering curses in his sleep. Punk had a theory on what was bothering his friends and he sympathized. Plotting to make someone disappear could weigh on you. They weren't new to premeditated murder and considering Punk's lifestyle in particular he'd likely do it again. But killing wasn't something any of them took lightly. Not anymore. And Sandow absolutely had to be dealt with. Based on what Leakee had told Punk, the bulk of their suffering last year could be directly attributed to Damien Sandow choosing to give them up to Hunter. What they went through because of him and that sadistic asshole had changed them all.

Sighing, CM Punk was about to leave the computer room and head back to the couch when movement from inside the Sandow house caught his eye. His inability to sleep actually proved useful at last! Unfortunately, there were scant cameras inside, only one in both the upstairs and downstairs hallway and the rest were scattered outside around the property.

Punk watched on his screens as Sandow passed both indoor cameras before making it outside. On the porch Sandow just stood there, apparently scanning the darkness when from the edge of the screen, Punk saw him. A bald, bearded man, seemingly well built came into view. He watched as the two had a short conversation. Sandow's face appeared grim but the mystery guest had a smile on his face. After a couple of minutes of back and forth the bald man went down the steps and disappeared into the darkness. Sandow stared after him; his face unreadable then slowly turned and went back into the house.

Silently cursing that there was no sound to his feeds Punk could only speculate as to what had just occurred. It stood to reason that the secrecy of that nighttime meeting meant only one thing. That bald man was likely hired by Sandow to take out Leakee and Jon.

"They'll probably be making a move tomorrow. Shit," whispered Punk with a slow shake of his head. This turn of events showed that he and his friends were woefully behind schedule.

Suddenly anxious he looked to the feeds from inside Moxley and Leakee's home. Surprisingly he found that Seth was alone in bed. Frowning, Punk looked through all the feeds till he came to the one inside their office. Both the dirty blonde and the Samoan were standing next to the CB radio and Leakee was bringing the mic up to his lips. Both men were still nude from their early evening activities but at the moment Punk wasn't focused on that. He waited to hear his best friend's voice come through the speaker next to him.

"Punk? You there, man?"

Leaning over he snatched the mic up and brought it to his face. "Yeah, I'm here. Over." He watched on the screen as it appeared that the two men were debating something. After a moment he heard this,

"Tomorrow, Punk. We gotta take Sandow out tomorrow! Over."

The inked man nodded in agreement. "I'm glad to hear you say that Leakee. I was just about to contact you myself. Apparently Sandow had a visitor tonight. Over."

Roman raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Who the hell was it? Over."

"I don't have sound here but if I had to guess this bald motherfucker is probably who he hired to take you two out. So yeah, I'm all for getting to him before he gets to you. Over."

Again it appeared that the two men were discussing something. Then he heard Roman say, "Is this going to be a problem for you? You sound like you haven't slept all night. Over."

Punk smirked. "You could always tell, Leakee. I'll be fine. The sooner we get this done, the sooner this will all be over. I say you two go to work like usual. I'll make sure he goes to work as well by following him. Barring any problems, we snatch him at the end of the day. Over."

Again it looked as if Ambrose and Reigns were discussing something. Then he heard Reigns say, "I don't suppose you have a location set up for this? Over."

"Honestly, my house at the lake would be perfect, either the bunker or the shed. You'll just have to come up with something to tell Seth to explain your absence. Over."

He watched Dean throw his hands in the air while Roman merely shrugged. "Fine," said Roman. "Turn that burner phone of yours on. We might need to contact you if Sandow deviates from his normal schedule at all. In the mean time you try and get some sleep, Punk. Over."

Punk swallowed thickly as his mind was suddenly flooded with images of Seth getting fucked by his friends mere hours ago. Sleep was going to be hard to come by for the foreseeable future. The inked man inhaled and exhaled slowly before bringing the mic up to his lips.

"By this time tomorrow Sandow will be in the ground. I'll sleep then. Over and out."

**8 A.M.**

Punk was parked inside Damien Sandow's neighborhood, just beyond the driveway entrance. The stolen car he was in, he'd chosen because it was fairly inconspicuous. It was taken from a long term parking garage downtown, so it likely wouldn't be reported stolen for at least a week. Drumming his fingers on the steering wheel with his left hand, Punk took a swig of Pepsi from the bottle in his right. Even though he was tired, anticipation and his own brand of expertise in situations similar to this kept him calm and alert. He had already witnessed Sandow's wife and children leave for their trip at 7 this morning. Now he waited for Sandow himself to make an appearance.

Truthfully, Punk thought it would be much easier to simply snatch the man while he was at home alone. But for appearances sake he needed to be seen at work today; especially if Punk was to fabricate a believable affair to explain his disappearance.

While Punk was pondering just what kind of mistress would be comparable to Sandow's own wife Lisa, he heard the almost whisper quiet engine of an approaching luxury car. Sandow was leaving for work! Smirking, Punk waited until the car was a good distance ahead of him before following.

**1 P.M.**

A late lunch.

Except there was no food in sight.

Punk followed Sandow to a nearby park and watched as he parked near a jogging trail. He appeared to be on the phone and considering how much he was gesticulating, whoever the bearded man was speaking to was saying something disagreeable.

"Fuck," whispered Punk as he watched from the safety of his stolen vehicle. "I should have bugged the bastard's car this morning."

This marked the second time in as many hours that auditory surveillance might have been helpful. Sighing, he continued his observation in silence.

**6 P.M.**

Inside their joint office, Roman found himself completely unable to concentrate on work. Currently he was seated behind his desk, leaning back in his chair with his eyes closed. The day, utterly stressful. He and Dean managed to keep up appearances most of the day but only just. Their assistant, Lana, seemed to sense something was wrong so she steered clear of them for the most part, only choosing to speak with them when it was absolutely necessary.

Roman recalled the eye contact he had with Sandow yesterday near the elevators. The older man had shifted nervously, clearly uncomfortable in his presence before walking quickly away. But this afternoon? When the haughty asshole spied him and Dean coming back from lunch he was different. Sandow met their gazes without so much as a flinch. He'd even smiled at them before heading to his office.

Damien Sandow was no longer afraid of them. Clearly something changed and such a turnaround in behavior was worrisome. It gave some validity to Punk's concerns about their boss' connections and the likelihood that he hired someone to move in on them.

"Yo, Rome!"

The Samoan sat up with a grunt, blinking at Dean's form rushing towards him. "What?"

"I just overheard Sandow talking to Naomi. Apparently he's planning on working late tonight." There was a smile on the dirty blonde's face. "Looks like he's going to make it easy for us."

_"_ _Maybe too easy," thought Roman._ Out loud he said, "Good. Punk's still in position in the parking garage. I'll call him and let him know." Reigns smiled back at his partner though it surely didn't reach his eyes.

Dean stooped next to the Samoan's chair so he could be eye level with Roman. The grin on his face turned fierce. "It's almost over, man. We're finally going to get our hands on that son of a bitch!"

Grey eyes met blue. Dean was so convinced that they had everything under control, that it was all going to work out just fine. But Roman had this feeling deep in his gut that it wasn't going to be that easy.

**8 P.M.**

"You did great, Kevin!" Seth patted the man on the back, truly pleased with their evening work out.

"Thanks," replied the bearded man. "I gotta say this was a bit more challenging than I thought it would be."

Seth chuckled. "Hey, I had to make sure you got a thorough work out."

Kevin pursed his lips in annoyance. "Well, you certainly did _that_. I'm already sore for fucks sake!"

"Just wait until tomorrow," said the younger man. "I've got a few ideas on how to help you reach your max."

"Ah geez…" Kevin shook his head as the two of them headed to the locker room. He tried dragging his feet to appear more tired than he was. Actually, Owens was stronger and more agile than his physique suggested. And Seth, like everyone he encountered seriously underestimated his capabilities. The younger man was about to pay dearly for that mistake.

Since it was closing time at the gym most of the members and staff had already left. To keep close to his target Kevin engaged Seth in conversation as they packed up and got ready to leave. By the time they threw on jackets and had their duffel bags slung over their shoulders the only other person in the building was Leslie. She was standing at the front door, jingling her keys impatiently.

"Come on, guys! I'm ready to go home!"

"Alright! We're coming, just hold your horses," called Seth as he and Kevin made their way up front.

The three of them left out and Leslie shut and locked the door behind them. After seeing her to her car and making sure she left safely, Kevin followed Seth over to his car.

Seth paused at his driver's side door, turning to peer at Kevin curiously.

"Did you, uh, take the bus here this evening?"

Kevin smiled and gave a sheepish shrug of his shoulders. "Um, yeah. I guess I forgot."

"You know the buses don't run past eight on this side of town, right?"

"Huh, no I didn't know that. Don't suppose you could give me a ride?" Owens took a couple steps towards Seth so that they were less than a foot apart. He could tell he was making the younger man uneasy with the way he shifted from foot to foot and seemed unable to hold eye contact.

Seth smiled but it was forced and tight on his face. "I guess I could. Where do you live?" He was eyeing Kevin with suspicion now. For some reason he couldn't explain, he was feeling extremely nervous. All he wanted was to get back home to his Doms. Although with how distant they were this morning, in spite of trying to convince him otherwise, Seth didn't know what to expect from them when he got there.

This time Kevin didn't say anything. He just took another step forward. He was close enough to the younger man that their chests were nearly touching. Owens could see confusion giving way to panic in Seth's eyes and he almost laughed out loud. God, he loved being feared.

Instinctively Seth tried to take a step back which only succeeded in having his back flush against the car door. The jovial and mildly humorous Kevin Steen that Seth trained today was gone. The man in front of him… his eyes were cold. There was a smile on his face still but it was empty, devoid of any emotion at all.

"Seth Rollins… You've got an appointment." Kevin allowed his accent to slip back in. There was no reason to keep up the pretense any longer.

Seth licked his lips, his eyes quickly scanning the area for help. "An appointment?"

"Yeah. There's someone who'd like to meet ya."

Without warning Kevin's hand shot out and gripped the younger man around the throat. Seth gave a startled gasp before his oxygen was subsequently cut off. He pulled at Owens' hand, struggling to free himself. The bigger man only laughed, squeezing tighter while reaching into his jacket pocket and pulling out a syringe.

Even with his vision going dark Seth spied the syringe in his hand. His eyes bulged out of their sockets as fought even harder to get free. Kevin kneed him in the gut and the pain made Seth sag in his grip. He could do nothing but watch as Owens used his teeth to snatch the cap off the needle before injecting the unknown liquid into his arm.

Burning… then darkness.

Kevin allowed Seth's unconscious body to fall to the ground. He picked up the man's fallen keys and used them to open the trunk of his car. After glancing around and making sure they were alone, he hefted Rollins' body into his arms then dumped him unceremoniously into the open trunk. Reaching into his duffle bag, Kevin pulled out a roll of duct tape and proceeded to wrap layers around Seth's wrists and ankles. Then he tore a strip off and covered his mouth as well.

Owens grabbed his phone from his pocket and glanced at the time.

"Ha! Right on schedule." He grinned, extremely pleased with himself. After pulling up the camera option he leaned into the trunk and took a couple of pictures of the unconscious man inside.

**8:45 P.M.**

Dean had yet to stop pacing their shared office. He was anxious, obviously more than ready to get this thing over with. Roman concurred but managed to keep his anxiety hidden for now. Both men stopped what they were doing and looked up when Lana entered their office.

"I'm sorry, gentlemen but Mr. Sandow requests your presence in his office."

Trying to hide their surprise the men shared a glance. This was unexpected.

"Okay, we'll be right there," answered Roman. "In the meantime Lana, you can head home. We won't be needing you anymore tonight."

Lana tilted her head the side with a small frown. "Are you sure? There's more I could do before…"

"You heard the man!" interrupted Dean rudely. "Go home! We'll see you tomorrow."

Lana threw her hands up and turned towards the door. "Fine. Goodnight, gentlemen."

Once alone, Roman rose from his chair and walked over to where Dean was standing. He gripped the back of his partner's neck and touched foreheads with him.

"Now I'm betting that Sandow is going to try to work out some sort of deal. We don't say shit. We let him say what he's going to say and we walk the hell out. No matter what we keep our cool. Okay?"

"I got it, Rome. I got it."

When they entered Sandow's office neither man was surprised to see their boss seated behind the immense desk. He watched them warily but without genuine fear. That sick feeling that Roman had been trying to ignore came back full force. He managed an expression between neutral and annoyed. Dean on the other hand couldn't hold back his grin. Just knowing that the high and mighty asshole was soon to be at their mercy was the only thing on his mind.

When they were in front of him and his office door was closed, only then did Damien begin speaking.

"I know that you two think I'm somehow responsible for Hunter's actions…" Sandow paused to take a sip of water from a cup on his desk before continuing. "But his actions were his own. I admit that I gave him some… help but that is all I did." Sighing, he tented his fingers. "I'd like to put all of this behind us. Start fresh as it were."

Roman and Dean glanced at one another amused then turned their attention back to Sandow.

"I think we're going to decline that offer. Rather hard to 'start fresh' after all you've done," said Reigns, his voice low.

At that moment Sandow's phone went off indicating a text had been received. He picked up the device to read the message. Both his eyebrows went up rather comically and he found himself chuckling.

"Fine," he said darkly. "Have it your way." Damien turned the phone's screen around to face the two men.

Frowning, Dean and Roman both leaned forward to get a better view of the screen. At first glance their brains refused to make sense of it. But as the seconds ticked by, the truth became horrifyingly clear. What they were looking at was picture of their pretty boy knocked out and tied up inside a trunk. Roman felt all the air leave his lungs. It was like getting sucker punched in the stomach.

Dean lurched forward a step, his hand shaking as he reached for the phone. "No…"

Sandow yanked the phone back and put it into his suit pocket. "My associates have your sub. If you wish to see him alive again you'll get out of my sight now. You have four hours to get yourselves together before my associates will contact you on your sub's whereabouts. When you receive the address you are to show up alone and unarmed. If you don't follow these instructions exactly as I've told them to you… they'll kill him."

A growl ripped through Ambrose's chest and faster than anyone could blink he had Damien's collar in a death grip as he pulled the hapless man over top of his desk. The computer went crashing to the floor and so did the phone.

"Fucker! You tell them to let him go right _fucking_ now!" Dean throttled Sandow, not even giving him the chance to respond.

Roman was slow to move but eventually managed to grab Dean around the waist, forcing him to let Sandow go. The dirty blonde struggled in his grasp, snarling all sorts of threats at the man pushing himself back across the desk away from him.

Sandow coughed a couple of times to clear his throat. "You lay another finger on me and your sub will be the one to regret it." His tone was snide albeit breathless as he straightened his tie.

Ambrose let loose with another wordless cry as he fought to get out of Roman's grip. The Samoan bit his lip then squeezed his partner to silence him. Spinning the blonde around to force him out of the office, Reigns paused briefly, giving Sandow a chilling look before walking out the door.

**9:30 P.M.**

"Rrraauughh!"

Punk ducked as a chair went sailing over his head. He hadn't slept in two days so it was through sheer adrenaline alone that he managed to dodge it. A piece of equipment was also chucked in his general direction and he had to jump back to keep from getting hit.

"How the fuck did this happen?!" yelled Ambrose, flinging another item at Punk. "What the hell have you been doing for the past two days?! You said you had this!" He was practically shaking with rage, somehow even more pissed that Punk kept dodging his throws.

Roman was standing a few feet away from Dean with his arms crossed over his chest, face grim. "Stop it, Dean. This isn't his fault." Reigns shook his head slowly and turned to give his partner a look. "It's ours. God…"

Chest heaving, Dean dropped the glass he had been about to chuck on the floor. It shattered right at his feet but he barely noticed. The anger in his face suddenly gave way to fear. "They have our pretty boy, Roman. What the fuck are we going to do?"

Speaking for the first time in several minutes, Punk took a step forward, making sure to avoid debris from Dean's destructive rampage. "How much time did they give?"

"Four hours. Sandow said we had just four hours to get our affairs in order before we would be given the address to where Seth's being held. Then we're to show up alone and unarmed."

"You know what that means, don't you Punk?" Dean's tone was bitter.

Punk knew exactly what that meant. His best friends were expected to sacrifice themselves in exchange for their sub's safety. And they would do it. If there were no other options, Jon and Leakee would give their lives for him.

Holding back a groan, Punk rubbed at his eyes. They were dry and his head was killing him. But none of that mattered while Seth and his friends were in danger. "So that gives us only two hours to try and get ahead of this." He walked over to Roman and patted his best friend on the back. "We can do this Roman. Jon. We can get the princess back."

At the moment he wasn't sure how but Punk meant every word. He coaxed Roman and Dean into the makeshift computer room, his mind going a million miles a minute as he tried to come up with a plan. He walked over to the table in the corner to set the timer, giving them a countdown to two hours from now. As he straightened and tried to figure out their next move he heard,

"What the _fuck_?!"

Punk froze. He knew without turning around what had their attention but slowly pivoted on his heel anyway. Both his friends were staring at the set of monitors on the left. The ones that showed feeds from inside their house. And which feed happened to be on the main screen? Of course it was their master bedroom.

Ambrose and Reigns turned simultaneously to glare at him. The looks on their faces…

They moved so fast he couldn't tell who hit him first. But all three of them went crashing into the table against the wall. Then they were swinging. Ambrose was beyond words, viciously snarling like an animal while hitting Punk with everything he had.

Roman, though. All that tenuously held control was completely gone. "How could you?!" he growled with a shot to Punk's kidney. "You were supposed to be helping us take _him_ out!" Another punch to the same kidney. "You've been fucking spying on _us_ you perverted asshole!"

Punk was doing what he could to fend off their blows trying to protect his face and his already damaged middle but if couldn't get out from under them they were going to kill him. Somehow he managed to grab Dean's arm and pull him into a nasty armbar. The dirty blonde screamed an angry mix of rage and pain. This of course left his face open to punishment and Roman took advantage of that fact landing a powerful jab to Punk's nose. The inked man howled in pain; letting go of Dean's arm to clutch his face. The swelling was instantaneous and Punk could feel the blood sliding down his throat from being on his back. He could see Roman rearing back to hit him again and he landed a quick kick to his friend's stomach. It wasn't hard enough to do any real damage but it did give him time to get to his feet.

Behind them Dean started snatching computer screens off the table and hurling them out of the room. At the same time Roman was attempting to stand, breathing heavily as he clearly contemplated how best to hurt Punk. Realizing what was about to happen, Punk landed a kick right to Roman's temple that knocked him flat. Dean saw this and snatched the last monitor off the table intending to take Punk's head off.

"I'm sorry!" cried CM Punk, his hands were up in mock surrender but also in case the screen did indeed come flying at his head. "I only wanted to protect Seth! To protect all of you! I thought that was the best way to do it."

Roman sat up slowly, vaguely dizzy. He stared at his best friend, his expression dark. "But you saw us, didn't you." It wasn't a question so much as a statement of fact.

Punk couldn't even stop the guilt from spreading on his face. He chewed his lip ring nervously then cursed at the pain realizing his lip was busted and bleeding. He gave a helpless shrug. "I'm sorry, Leakee. Jon. It started out as a way to keep you all safe. I swear." He sighed and shrugged again lowering his arms to his sides. "What else do you want me to say?"

Dean scowled at Punk then chucked the remaining monitor out the door. "Nothing motherfucker. Don't say another fucking word."

Roman put a hand up to silence his seething partner before standing, his entire being somehow menacing. "You said you knew how to help us get Seth back?"

Punk nodded then winced. Now that the adrenaline from the fight was wearing off he hurt all over. "Yeah… I assumed you might have put a GPS tracker in the princ- in Seth's car. Am I right?"

Eyebrow raised, Roman opened his mouth to answer when a hard knock sounded at the front door.

"You expecting company, jackass?" Dean's face was hard, his mouth set into a thin line.

Punk rolled his eyes. "This is a loft apartment and we just had a goddamn brawl. It's either the landlord or the cops."

Roman and Dean stiffened but said nothing. Distraught over their sub's kidnapping and then the subsequent reveal that their best friend bugged their house without their permission and saw them intimately engaged with Seth had left them completely void of reasoning. Now as a consequence of their actions (however justified) they were faced with the possibility of law enforcement.

Banging sounded at the front door once more and Punk quickly stepped around his friends and over the scattered electronics. When he reached the front door he squared his shoulders back before opening it.

Two police officers, one man, one woman, stood out in the hallway, eyeing Punk with careful scrutiny.

"We're responding to a noise complaint," said the female officer. "Is everything alright?"


	8. I'll Tell You My Sins

Despite his head still ringing from the shots he took just moments ago Punk managed to think on his feet. He scowled and shook his head at the police officers in his doorway.

"Yeah, everything's fine. I'm sorry about the noise. We were playing an online game and things got out of hand."

The two officers shared a look. It was clear they didn't know what Punk was talking about and remained suspicious. Especially considering how beat up the man appeared.

The male officer, Vasquez pursed his lips before asking, "Who all is in the apartment with you sir?"

Without hesitation Punk replied, "It's just me and my friends, officer. Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns."

"And you are?"

CM Punk fought hard not to bristle. Standing here in front of him were two surefire ways for his ass to end up back on the grid. But he'd risk it… for Seth. "My friends call me Punk. You can call me Phil Brooks."

The female officer, Mills took a step forward so that she blocked Punk from closing the door. "May we come in and have a look around?"

Punk paused then sighed dramatically as he took a step back allowing them entry. The male officer, Vasquez, had his hand on his hip, noticeably close to his gun as he followed his partner inside. Punk closed the door behind them, mentally cursing. There was no way he and his friends could make these cops disappear without it still linking them to the crime. Since someone called the department to complain their visit would be on record. Punk was good at altering files and documents but he wasn't _that_ good.

Mills and Vasquez were taking obvious mental notes of the bareness of the apartment and the amount of debris on the floor. Again the two officers gave each other a look, not quite sure what to make of everything. When they came to bedroom turned computer room Mills gasped in surprise then gave a throat clearing cough to cover it up. Roman was standing near the only unbroken set of monitors, attempting to log onto a gaming server. Apparently he'd shed his torn shirt in the minutes Punk had spent at the door talking with the officers.

Yelling out over his shoulder, "The servers are still down!" Roman gave a growl of frustration. He turned around and jumped at the site of Mills. Eyebrow raised he gave a deliberately sexy smirk. "Well I guess I know who was at the door. Evening, officer."

Mills couldn't really help herself. Her eyes raked over the Samoan's form both in admiration and scanning for injuries. The shirtless man had a few bruises on his face and midsection but didn't appear to be seriously hurt.

Vasquez who had hung back was annoyed at his partner's lack of professionalism and decided to take over the questioning. "So what were you gentlemen up to this evening?"

Roman parroted Punk's earlier answer by stating, "We were playing an online RPG. Unfortunately we weren't a part of the same guild so when things went to shit we took it out on each other."

"What is that? Some kind of computer game?" asked Vasquez.

"Yeah," answered Punk stepping into the room. "Over a billion players all over the world, you know."

"I see…" Vasquez looked around the room and pointed out the destroyed monitors near the door. "And these were your gaming computers? Don't those things cost thousands of dollars?"

Punk didn't have to work at appearing upset about the equipment. "They do."

"Don't worry man," said Dean stepping into the room behind him. He clapped Punk hard on the back. "I got you covered."

Punk did his best to keep from flinching. Dean's cheerful expression and aw shucks grin was only a façade intended to fool the two officers of the law. Punk knew what lurked beneath it. Hell, his split lip was proof of the monster behind the twinkling blue eyes and smile. With all that had happened, Punk took a moment to appreciate how calm Roman and Dean were considering the circumstances. Time was growing short but trying to rush the cops out of the apartment would only invite more suspicion. They had no choice but to play it cool, for Seth's sake.

The officers regarded all of them with renewed interest. They knew something more than what was said had happened in here. Despite the three men's charming smiles and cool demeanors Mills and Vasquez could detect some underlying tension.

"You know, not to be rude," started Mills. "But you two," she said pointing to Roman and then Dean, "don't seem like the type to play computer games."

Dean raised an eyebrow but Roman actually laughed. "Well that's how we became friends, ma'am. It's the one thing we have in common."

Mills opened her mouth to say something else when the walkie talkie pinned to her chest squawked. The three men couldn't catch all of it but did hear the words _possible homicide_ come through.

Mills held up a finger to the room before responding to the dispatcher. "Alright, car 2210 is on the way."

Turning her attention back to the men of the apartment, Officer Mills said, "Well, we've got to be going gentlemen. How about you three keep it down, yeah? Play something that won't make you turn on each other like a bunch of children."

"We don't want to have to come back here," added Vasquez with a frown. "Cause if we do, we might have to spend some more time chatting… at central booking, Phil."

Despite the neutral smile on Punk's face, there was a tell-tale tightening around his eyes that Roman noticed instantly. If they made it out of this night alive he was positive that Punk was going to disappear for a while. Maybe even leave the country. Although Roman was still highly pissed at his friend, he felt surprisingly bad for landing Punk right in the cops' line of sight.

Dean on the other hand couldn't care less. He had never found Punk's apparent crush on their sub cute the way Roman seemed to. Add in the fact that he spied on them in bed together… As far as Dean was concerned, the police were the least of Punk's problems.

Punk followed the two officers to the door, damn near giddy at them finally leaving.

Vasquez followed Mills out the door but turned around to say, "In your computer room there was a clock counting down to an hour and a half from now. What happens when it reaches zero?"

Punk couldn't help it, his eye twitched. The police already wasted thirty minutes of their time! They couldn't afford to let anymore time go by. He opened his mouth to give some sort of response but was interrupted by Mills.

She gave a wry smile. "You don't have to answer that, Phil. We'll be back to see for ourselves. You and your buddies be good."

With that said the two officers got onto the elevator, watching Punk's face until the doors closed.

Grumbling under his breath Punk shut the door and turned towards Roman and Dean who were now standing near the couch. The expressions on their faces would forever be burned into his brain. Anger and determination but in their eyes was something else. It was an undercurrent of resignation. The two Doms were slowly coming to the realization that they might die tonight.

_"_ _I won't let it happen," thought Punk fiercely. "I won't let the princess be alone. No matter what, you two are going to be there for Seth…"_

Shoulders tense, Punk walked over to the fridge and opened the cupboard on top of it pulling out a large black duffle bag. He set it on the kitchen table and unzipped it revealing some extremely high tech electronics. One of which was a state of the art GPS tracker.

"We don't have time to go back to your house. Put the code to the one you planted on Seth's car in here," said Punk. His expression was grim. "It should show us the last three locations the car stopped at. Maybe we'll get lucky."

**S**

_"_ _Dean?! Roman?! Help! Help me!"_

When Seth Rollins regained consciousness he was instantly nauseous with a fragmented recollection of the last hour. But he couldn't focus on his fuzzy memory right now. At the moment he was tied to a chair in a cold dark unfamiliar place. His stomach twisted and his head swam. Throwing up might help him feel better but with duct tape over his mouth he decided it didn't seem like good idea to try. Through sheer will Seth forced his stomach contents to stay put while he slowly looked around.

It would appear that he was inside an abandoned warehouse. The wood was old and the planks underneath his chair creaked when he moved. Seth could hear water sloshing close by but couldn't determine the source. Just then he heard footsteps from somewhere nearby and above him. His forehead creased in a frown as he tilted his head back to look up above. There was no second floor, only the roof which meant that there were people walking around on top of it.

_"_ _What is this? I just want to go home! Roman!? Dean?! I need you!"_

A clang sounded somewhere in front of him and Seth's chin dropped so that he could spot who (or what) caused it. At the same time he twisted frantically in his bonds, trying like hell to get free. It was no good. Whoever had tied him up was some kind of expert. There was rope around his upper arms beneath his pits that was wrapped around the back of the chair till it reached his wrists. His wrists were tied together with zip ties. Zip ties were also around each of his ankles and legs of the chair.

_"_ _It's no use," thought Seth, panting behind the duct tape. "I can't get free."_ Tears of frustration and fear sprang to his eyes. He gave another furtive glance around the room but this time spotted a couple of individuals coming towards him from what was likely an office in the far corner of the warehouse.

He watched as the two men walked over to him, one of them hitting a row of switches turning on several overhead lights. One of the bulbs flickered before blowing out while the rest bathed the area immediately around Seth in a bright fluorescent lighting. Finally able to see, Seth recognized one of the men coming towards him to be the treacherous Kevin. The heavyset man was wearing a pair of black jeans now with boots and a black t-shirt and over that a tactical vest that appeared to strapped with hardware, guns and knives alike. His eyes held genuine mirth as though the situation amused him and that made Seth even sicker. The man beside him was taller and leaner than Kevin, with a bald head and a beard. As much as Seth hated the look on Kevin's face, the look the bald man was giving him worried him even more. He'd seen it before. On Hunter's face over a year ago in that dreaded basement; after Seth had given up his gun to save his Doms. His face held the fevered glee of a man who was winning.

Cesaro stopped when he was less than a foot away from the bound young man. He could see that Rollins' eyes were swimming with emotion; anger, confusion and of course fear. Cesaro chuckled, the sound a bit unhinged.

"I'm going to answer some questions for you Mr. Rollins," said Cesaro finally. "Let's just get the obvious ones out of the way _before_ I take the tape off your mouth." He turned to give Kevin an amused glance and the man grinned back at him.

"We're at the abandoned docks," started Antonio turning his attention back to Seth. "It was the only place I could guarantee some measure of privacy for tonight. My associate and I are being paid extremely well for our services so if you're thinking about bribery you may as well forget it."

"Tell him who hired us," interrupted Kevin, still grinning. He swung his arms back and forth, trying to rid himself of excess energy.

Antonio was a tad annoyed with his partner but soldiered on anyway. "A man you may know by the name of Damien Sandow hired us to kill your Doms." Cesaro watched with interest as the young man's eyes grew wide.

"And in case you haven't realized it by now… you're the bait."

Smirking, Kevin reached down and yanked the duct tape from Seth's lips.

Seth hissed at the sharp pain and licked his lips before speaking. His voice cracked on the one word he was able to say. "Why?"

Cesaro was grinning again. "Because apparently your Doms have reason to believe he was the behind your misadventures with another former employer of mine… Hunter Hearst Helmsley."

Seth fought to swallow past the lump in his throat. "What? I don't… understand."

"I was one of the men Helmsley hired to procure you from your Doms over a year ago. Unfortunately after out little chase on the highway and subsequent crash I was injured." Antonio went quiet for a moment, remembering… When he looked back into Seth's terror filled face he almost laughed. He leaned in close, so close that he could feel his breath intermingling with the frightened young man's.

"Let me let you in on a little secret young Mr. Rollins. Even if I hadn't been hired by Sandow to take those two men you love out before they could enact their revenge, I would have tracked you three down anyway." His eyes went hard suddenly and Seth couldn't help but flinch.

"You killed my mates and damn near crippled me." Cesaro leaned even closer so that his lips were next to Seth's ear. "I… owe… you… for… that…" he whispered. The bald man pulled back so that he was squatting in front of Seth, watching his reaction; studying it.

_"_ _Oh my god…"_ Seth thought that he knew terror. The night that he and Punk had gone to assist and subsequently rescue his Doms from Hunter had been the most frightening night of his life. But this? This was on a whole other level.

Even though he knew deep down it wouldn't do any good Seth started pleading with him. "Please… please… I'm sorry! I'm sorry about everything! You don't have to kill them! Please! They've already been through so much because of me. I don't want them hurt anymore…"

Cesaro wasn't moved by the flood of tears or by the pleas and blubbering the young captive was doing. All he could think about was settling the score. Satisfying his need for revenge. From where he knelt on the floor he looked over to see that Kevin's shoulders were shaking with laughter. Much like himself, Kevin would not be swayed by the emotions of their prey.

Ready to deal the final blow, Cesaro got to his feet. He held his hand out and felt Kevin slap a roll of duct tape onto his palm. Shaking his head but with a smile he ripped a strip off and pressed it hard onto Seth's mouth, stopping his pleas in their tracks.

"Ahh, I think I prefer this to your blathering." Kevin had walked away to yell at one of the men near the front doors and though Cesaro knew he had to do some prep work of his own he couldn't help but torture Seth just a little bit more.

"By the way, Rollins… Your Doms will be here in just over three hours. We're going to make a trade. Their lives for your safety."

Seth shook his head frantically. He didn't want this! He didn't want any of it! But Cesaro wasn't finished yet.

"But you know what? I'm going to kill them _and_ you. You're all already dead. You just haven't got sense enough to lie down." With those final words, Cesaro turned around and walked away.

Seth watched him go, his breaths coming faster and faster. He was on the verge of panicking. His beloved Doms were coming to save him. But it was all a ruse. All three of them were going to die. Somehow from beyond the grave Hunter was still making their lives hell. Despair gripped Seth's heart and he wept.

 


	9. You Can Sharpen Your Knife

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No one specific theme song for this chapter; just copious amounts of NIN that helped me write it and might assist your enjoyment reading it.

Dean's mind was a storm of emotions as he sat in the backseat of Punk's jeep. He chewed on his already bitten down nails anxiously, his anger at Punk under control for the moment. Roman was sitting up front in the passenger seat with the tracking device in his hand, his expression grim. And of course Punk was the one driving, his face carefully blank for the time being. The three men were following the directions given to them by the GPS tracker, hoping that they would discover where Seth was being held. It was obvious they were dealing with professionals so trying to take the perpetrators by surprise was the only shot they had.

The three men remained silent during the trip. The only sound was the blip of the GPS tracker and the occasional clicking of the turn signal. As Punk followed the signal he couldn't help but think how all of this could have been avoided had the two assholes in the car with him had taken his advice and warned Seth about the threat. There was no telling what the younger man was possibly going through at the moment.

_"_ _Ugh… I blame myself. I never should have listened to them. I should have told Seth what was going on last night when I had the chance…"_ Punk shook his head and sighed. It was far too late for such thoughts. They had to get through this night, find Seth and kill everyone who was involved in this mess.

Roman growled under his breath as they neared an old junkyard. It didn't take a genius to figure out why Seth's captors chose this place to abandon his car. As soon as Punk came to a complete stop at the front gate, Roman jumped out of the jeep. He was already heading towards the office by the time Punk and Dean climbed out of the vehicle.

The sign said the office was closed (and had been for at least an hour) but Roman could hear voices inside so he knocked anyway. After the fourth or fifth bang on the door an elderly man slowly came into view. He opened the door and peered at Roman's towering form with his one good eye; the other was covered by an eye patch.

"We're closed, son," said the man, gesturing to the sign. "Come back tomorrow. We open at 7." The old man went to close the door but was stopped by Roman's foot.

"I'm sorry to bother you, sir," said Roman doing his damndest to appear friendly. "But our friend's car was stolen and we think it might be here."

The old man's eye widened in surprise. From some unseen corner of the office an elderly female voice called out, "See, Frank?! I told you that boy was up to no good!"

"Hush, Martha!" Frank barked over his shoulder. He looked back up at Roman, a sheepish grin on his face. "We did have a fella come by earlier this evening, wanting to sell us a vehicle. We told him that it was much too nice to junk but he didn't seem to care. Told us he only wanted a hundred bucks for it." Frank sighed. "I suppose you'll be wanting it back."

Dean, whom had been standing on the edge of the porch, nearly shoved Roman out of the way so that he could see Frank's face. "No sir, you can keep the car. We just want to have a look at it, if that's alright with you." Thunder rumbled ominously overhead and everyone looked up at the sky in response.

The old man mumbled under his breath. "Knee's been aching all day, knew a storm was coming." Out loud he said, "Not a problem, son. Give me a second to get the gate open."

Once inside Dean, Roman and Punk all began inspecting the car. It was definitely Seth's vehicle and outwardly there didn't appear to be any damage or anything of note. Inside they spotted some strips of duct tape and a used syringe. The three of them didn't know what to make of the syringe but it was clear the duct tape had been used to restrain their pretty boy.

Punk picked up the syringe gingerly, jumping as thunder clapped once more before inspecting it for any clue as to what it might have contained. Whatever it was had been colorless and odorless. With a wordless cry he threw it back into the car. "Fuck!"

"What now?" Dean was rubbing insistently at his shoulder. "There's nothing here!"

"Well, nothing that can tell us where Seth is," replied Roman. The Samoan put a hand over his eyes, trying his best to stay calm. He wanted, no _needed_ to rage right now but Dean often took his cue from Roman. If he broke down right now, Dean would too.

"Hold on a sec there, young man." Frank was walking stiffly towards them as fast as he could which wasn't very. "Are you three looking for the man who sold us the car?"

Punk, Dean and Roman all whirled around to face him at the same time.

"Yes!" replied Dean and Roman simultaneously. All three of them began firing off questions all at once.

"What did he look like?"

"Do you know where they went?"

"Was anyone with him?"

Frank was pleased that he was going to be able to help them out. "The man who brought the car was a tall, rather portly fellow with a beard. He never gave his name though, guess I should have realized then he was up to no good. He also didn't come alone. He was followed here by a black SUV that looked to be full of men. After he sold us the car, I heard him tell someone in the truck that they had to hurry and get back to the docks." As he finished talking thunder rumbled even louder than before, the storm fast approaching.

Punk raised an eyebrow and turned to Dean and Roman. "The 'docks'… That mean anything to you?"

Dean nodded, suddenly grim. "Yeah. There are several on the outskirts of the city but only one that is abandoned."

"Which is probably where they're holding him," added Roman.

Punk glanced at his watch. They were running out of time. "How far is it from here?"

"About four miles to the east," answered Frank. His interjection startled the men whom that quickly had forgotten his presence. His one good eye trained on each of them for a few seconds, considering. "You boys about to get into some shit, aren't ya?"

Punk shrugged. Why lie? "Yeah old timer. We're already neck deep in it."

"Anything I can do to help you boys?"

Despite himself, Roman smiled. "You've done enough, Frank. Thank you."

"And keep the car," added Dean. "If we make it through the night, we're buying Seth a new one." With that said they headed back to Punk's jeep.

Frank followed them, his mouth turned down in worry. "Are you sure there's nothing else I can do?" He pulled a pistol out of his pants pocket to show them. "I'm still a pretty good shot! Can shoot the pecker off a mosquito at fifty yards!"

They had already gotten back inside the jeep but all of them were impressed by Frank's fortitude and generosity.

Punk stuck his head out the driver's side window. "Just stay here with your wife and be safe." He started up the jeep and was about to turn around when he glanced down at the CB radio in his car. Sticking his head back out the window he added, "On second thought, there is something."

"What's that?" asked Frank.

"It's possible that some friends of ours may come through here looking for us. If a few large bikers come by, could you please point them in the direction of the docks?"

Frank nodded. "Of course! My wife and I will be happy to. Now you boys go take care of business and be careful ya hear? My joints been aching all day so this storm that's been brewing is fixin' to be a real slobber knocker." As if to cosign, thunder clapped viciously in the sky evoking a startled jump from everybody in the jeep including the usually stoic Roman.

Shaking himself a little, Roman leaned his head out the passenger side window. "Thanks Frank. You take care of yourself."

Before they took off, Punk got on the CB radio trying to get a hold of some reinforcements.

"Big Guy? Big Guy! Ryback?! You there, man? Over."

One tense minute later they heard, "You got the Big Guy. Over."

"Can you come down to the city? We're gonna need the help and whatever hardware you can bring. Over."

"Aw hell… What's going on? Over."

"We've got to rescue Seth. They've got him captive at the abandoned docks. There are an unknown number of hostiles. And Ryback, these guys are professionals. They've been steps ahead of us the entire time. Over."

Ryback actually whistled, both horrified and impressed. "Someone snatched baby boy? Damn… are Leakee and Jon going crazy over there or what? Over."

Punk could actually _feel_ Roman bristling next to him and behind them Dean was letting loose with a slew of curses.

"Not now, man. They set acquisition for two and half hours from now; their lives for his but we're dropping in early to hopefully surprise them and get him out safely. We need you to meet us in case things go to shit. How soon can you get here? Over."

"Fuck man, an hour. Maybe 45 minutes if we take the bikes and punch it but it's looking like rain so I dunno about that. You should've called us in earlier _before_ things got this bad. I'll bring Gabriel and Patrick with me. I hate to say it man but by the time we get there you'll either have it handled or you'll be dead. If it's the former we'll help with the clean up; if it's the latter, we hunt the fuckers down for you. Over."

"Thanks, Big Guy. Remember, it's the abandoned docks. If you get lost, ask for directions at the junkyard. We've told them to expect you. Over."

"Give 'em hell and get your boy back. Over and out."

As soon as the conversation was done they were on the road again.

The river was northeast of where they were heading so Roman was instructing Punk to drive to a field that was on a massive hill to the west of the docks. He currently had his headlights off and was creeping along at five miles an hour so that it was unlikely that they'd be spotted before getting into position. Their destination was a construction equipment graveyard. The docks used to be part of an industrial hub but were abandoned by the city due to monetary reasons.

Punk parked behind a giant CAT dump truck that was rusted beyond repair before shutting off the engine. Just as they were exiting the vehicle thunder rumbled loudly and lightning lit up the sky. They felt the first few drops of rain on their heads and Dean cursed under his breath.

_"_ _We just can't catch a fucking break tonight!"_ he thought fiercely. Not wanting to voice his anxiety out loud he followed Roman and Punk to the back of the jeep and watched as the tatted man opened the trunk. He handed Roman a medium sized duffle bag and proceeded to pull out a long silver weapons case that had been behind it.

Roman opened the bag and saw that it was clothes and steel toed boots, the black swat like gear from jobs past. In spite of the situation at hand he chuckled. "Why do you still have these? I thought we wore the last set when we tracked down Hunter?"

Punk watched Dean and Roman get dressed briefly with a smirk then went back to unloading. "Maybe I was feeling nostalgic."

"Haven't you heard that memories last a lifetime? This is bordering on obsessive, Punk."

"You know exactly what this is," grumbled Dean as he strapped up his bullet proof vest. "Punk is a fucking freak with no boundaries. Of course he's hanging onto our damn clothes. I bet he's got a jar filled with strands of your goddamn hair Rome and another with my toenail clippings." He made a noise of disgust as he bent over to tie his boots. "Creepy motherfucker…"

Punk narrowed his eyes but said nothing. As bad as he already felt he knew he deserved every bit of vitriol coming his way. He simply gritted his teeth and went about putting together his preferred weapon of the evening, an M24 sniper rifle with night sight. It was practically an Army issue weapon but with his own personal modifications.

Just as they finished getting dressed Roman tossed the bag to Punk indicating that he change clothes as well. As Punk changed into his own gear, Dean and Roman pulled a weapons trunk out of the Jeep and deposited it on the ground. After looking over the selection they both decided on semi-automatic handguns that they fitted with silencers. They also grabbed a few knives, an Uzi and a sawn off shotgun. Both men knew if it came down to either the Uzi or Sawn off, they were likely already dead.

Once everyone was dressed and strapped, Punk was already on the ground, resting on his stomach behind his rifle. The night sight was a wonder to use and he could see everything as if it were daytime. He could feel Roman's presence behind him.

"What do you see?" asked the Samoan.

"There are four men walking along the roof of the warehouse. I can take them out easily. Looks like two, maybe three more at the front of the building but none at the back. Cocky or careless of them to leave that open. It's just as well I don't have a clear shot of the group up front so I think you two should come in from the back and make your way inside. If we're lucky, Seth will be in the back and you can just sneak out the way you came in."

"What about Seth? Can you see him?" Dean could forget about his anger at Punk when it came to their pretty boy.

Frowning, Punk scanned the property two more times. "No. I can't see inside at all. That means there could be more bad guys inside than outside. Maybe more than you can handle alone."

"We'll signal you if we get into trouble, alright?"

Punk pushed himself off the damp grass so that he was on his knees to look at his friends. They looked confident, they looked determined. But Dean's brow was sweaty and Roman was fidgeting. They were afraid. Whether they were more afraid of dying or of losing Seth, Punk couldn't determine. Thing was, he was scared too.

Dean got down on his knees next to Punk and Roman followed suit. Thunder clapped and lightning forked across the sky. Dean tilted his head to the side as he looked at Punk, his gaze hard. He put a hand on Punk's shoulder and squeezed.

"No matter what happens… Seth lives. You hear me, asshole? If Rome and I go down, you have to get him out!"

"Do whatever you have to do, Punk," added Roman quietly. "Seth shouldn't have to die just because we fucked up."

Punk swallowed past the lump in his throat. "Both of you shut up. Nobody's dying tonight!"

Dean squeezed Punk's shoulder even harder now, surely leaving a bruise behind. " _If_ we don't make it… take care of our pretty boy."

Roman gripped the back of Punk's neck tightly. "You'll be all he has left. Promise us. Promise us you'll get him and keep him safe."

The intensity in Jon and Leakee's gazes made Punk's breath catch. Briefly his last vivid dream about Seth flitted through his mind and he swallowed thickly.

"I promise."

The three of them put their heads down so their foreheads were touching. This was nothing like when they went after Hunter. Hunter and his goons had been vicious psychos, yes; but this crew that Sandow hired was obviously full of highly trained killers. The heaviness in the air of the oncoming storm was in line with the very real fear in their hearts.

_"_ _One of us could die tonight."_

There was a continuous rumble of thunder and lightning peeled across the sky like a jagged knife. Then the heavens opened up. The light trickle turned into a torrential downpour almost instantly. Though the rain would be a hindrance to their speed it would hopefully mask the sound of their approach. Roman and Dean got to their feet and moved stealthily down the hill heading for the back of the warehouse.

Punk lay back on his stomach on the soaked ground. For a few seconds he watched his friends' cautious approach but quickly shifted his view to the men walking the area. There was a man he'd neglected to spot on his first look through so he checked to see if the coast was clear then fired. It was a headshot, quick and clean. Again he peered through the night sight, looking for anyone who might spot Leakee and Jon coming. The men walking the roof were fairly close to the back edge. He could see a bright flare through his lens. They were smoking, sharing a cigarette by the look of things. The other two men were near the front of the roof, talking. Punk was going to have to be quick. Careful to adjust for the wind, the rain and distance he fired two shots in quick succession. One took a bullet to the head, the other the throat. Whatever garbled sound he made as he fell seemed to get the attention of the other two near the front. Punk didn't give them a chance to alert anyone as he capped them as well.

So far, so good.

**D&R**

Dean was following Roman's lead as they made their way to the warehouse. They were soaked through to their skin as the rain continued its vicious onslaught. They'd done things like this before… long ago before they'd even met the young man they were going to save. It was like a terrible case of déjà vu.

When they made it to the back of the warehouse without incident they knew they had Punk to thank for that for they surely would have been spotted otherwise. The wind blew hard and thunder cracked as the storm raged on. There was no back door, just a couple of windows. Roman got down on his hands and knees to give Dean a boost up.

After taking a quick look around Dean got back down and gestured to Roman that the way was clear to enter but that he couldn't see past a row of crates and boxes inside. Roman nodded that he understood and pointed up indicating that they were still heading in. Again he lifted Dean up so that his partner could push the window open. It creaked on rusted hinges and Dean almost cursed aloud. Again luck seemed to be on their side as not a soul in the building heard the two men drop into warehouse.

They were in.

Now to find Seth.

**P**

If it weren't for the adrenaline coursing through his veins, Punk would have been freezing, he would have been sluggish, fighting insomnia though his body craved sleep. But right now he was hyper alert, vigilant as he took out the hapless mercenaries around the building. The thunderstorm was severe but also a blessing because otherwise someone would have heard those shots.

_"_ _I'm glad I didn't bring the 50 cal like I originally planned. They would have heard that shit from miles away…"_

When he saw that Leakee and Jon had made it into the warehouse he swung his gaze back to the front of the building. A luxury sedan was pulling up to the entrance. Punk froze as he realized that he recognized that vehicle. His suspicions were confirmed when he watched the cause of all this, Damien Sandow exit the car, his head up and proud in spite of the wind and rain. Punk's finger was on the trigger before he was aware it was there. It started to squeeze, his body screaming at him to take the shot.

_"_ _No you bastard! You can't. Not while they're still inside! They'd never make it back out…"_

Punk took a deep breath and blew it out slowly. His finger stilled on the trigger as he watched through the scope as Damien was met by a man dressed in black. They shook hands, laughing together as they pointed behind them inside. It was the man Punk saw meet with Sandow at his home the night before. Again it took all Punk's restraint not to fire right at that moment. But the next man that stepped into view made his blood run cold. Punk recognized this new man to be the one that he'd run into at Sandow's house two days ago.

_"_ _Motherfucker…"_

That man was more than just a trained killer. He'd set off all of Punk's alarms that day and it was clear with how he reacted to Punk's presence that he'd seen something in him as well. This was more than Leakee and Jon could handle. They'd thought they were only dealing with mercs, that guy though… he was something else, something much more dangerous. Punk had to get down there! He had to get inside the warehouse.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck!"

Punk cursed repeatedly under his breath as he grabbed the remaining two semi-automatic pistols, fitted them with silencers and made his way carefully down the hill. He didn't have a plan. He probably should have had one but there was no time. He just knew that his best friends were going to need his help.

 


	10. The Starving Faithful

Seth had been weeping silently for longer than he cared to admit when he heard over the cacophony of the storm still raging outside, a couple of thumps over his head. Startled, he looked up with tears still rolling down his cheeks, despite not being able to see anything. Whatever made that sound, it didn't matter. Only a handful of thoughts kept repeating in his brain. It was all a conflicted mess. Replays of the intimacy he shared with his Doms only the night before was interrupted by moments of anger (irrational or not) at the fact that Roman and Dean had been keeping this situation with Sandow from him. There was even more sadness at the fact that his life had come to this… again; held captive at the whims of murderous psychopaths. And even more when CM Punk crossed his mind, depressed that he wouldn't be able to hear his voice with its Midwestern accent laughing at his antics or calling him 'princess' one last time before he died.

The jumble of thoughts continued and Seth closed his eyes and sighed behind the duct tape, further wallowing in his misery. So focused on his depressed introspection that he didn't even notice when he'd been joined in the center of the warehouse by not just one individual but three. A sudden hard slap to his cheek made Seth's eyes pop open and he groaned at the sharp pain.

Standing in front of him was Kevin, the man with the weird vendetta against him and his Doms and the one funding the entire venture, Damien Sandow.

"Well, look at that, I guess he's awake after all," remarked Kevin with a grin. He flexed his fingers and reared back making as if he were going to slap Seth again. When Seth flinched he chuckled, bringing his hand back down.

Sandow stared down the bridge of his nose at the gagged and bound young man completely unaffected by the abuse he just witnessed. "Would one of you take that tape off his mouth? I want to talk to him."

Kevin looked to Cesaro who merely shrugged. Kevin's grin widened as he reached down and snatched the tape off Seth's mouth. All three men watched in amusement as the young man's eyes watered while he cursed under his breath at the sting.

"You know," began Sandow while slowly and carefully removing his gloves to place in his trench coat pockets. "I never wanted it to come to this Mr. Rollins. I extended an olive branch to your Doms. All they had to do was reach out and grab it; all they had to do was live and let live. But no, they had to keep up their misguided quest for revenge. They had to make _me_ pay for Hunter's crimes!" Sandow shook his head, vaguely incredulous at the mere thought of being responsible for what his deceased friend had been into.

"So here we are. I'm almost sorry it had to come to this but it's done now. In little over an hour those two ignoramuses will be walking in here. Unfortunately dear boy, you'll be the only one walking back out."

Seth's brows furrowed in confusion. He glanced from Sandow's bemused face to Kevin's grinning one, to the sneering Cesaro and back to Sandow again. Licking his dry lips, still tacky from the tape, Seth croaked out, "Not according to him," with a nod at Cesaro.

Sandow raised an eyebrow at the younger man before turning his attention to Antonio. "What's the meaning of this, Cesaro? I'm only paying you to deal with Mr. Reigns and Mr. Ambrose."

Cesaro shrugged. "And that's why I told you not to come here tonight. Rollins here is too much of a liability to just be let go. He's here to lure the other two here and then he's going die with them."

"You said you were going to track us down anyway! You said we had to die for crippling you and killing your friends!" exclaimed Seth. He glanced over at Sandow. "He's taking your money for shit he was already planning on doing."

Damien was frowning now and turned to face Cesaro. "What do you have to say for yourself?" He folded his arms across his chest as he waited for an answer.

Once again, Cesaro shrugged. "Doesn't matter now, does it? You got to play a mob boss for a few days and I get to avenge my comrades. As far as I'm concerned, you got your money's worth."

Sandow frowned even harder, absolutely ready to argue the fact when the radio on Kevin's hip crackled with static.

"Something's wrong! Pick up Owens!"

Kevin unclipped the radio from his belt and brought it up to his lips. "What is it? Over."

"Johnson, Mike and Chuck have all missed their check-in times! We wanted your permission to search the grounds and figure out what the hell's going on! Over."

Kevin's eyes narrowed and he turned towards Cesaro who was giving him a knowing look. Frowning, he barked into the radio, "Send Steven and Julian to do a sweep. Everyone else maintain your positions. I think our guests of honor decided to drop in early. Over and out."

"What was that all about?" asked Damien vaguely concerned.

Kevin brushed past Sandow, completely ignoring him. Cesaro declined to answer Sandow as well, instead choosing to stoop down so that he could meet Seth's eyes.

"Looks like we're going to find out just how good your Doms really are."

Cautiously optimistic about his potential rescue, Seth stared evenly at the Swiss man in front of him. "Good enough to put bullets into your _comrades_. Good enough to dispose of their bodies by turning them into pig feed."

Antonio's eyes widened at that. He stood up to his full height, sneered at the younger man then gave him a devastating right hook to the jaw. Seth yelped in pained surprise before spitting out the blood that instantly filled his mouth. His gaze remained defiant even as his captor punched him a second time and a third, Cesaro's anger gaining an obvious foothold. And Seth took it all, mostly in silence, refusing to give the incensed man the satisfaction of seeing him breakdown again.

The last hit really rung Seth's bell and caused copious amounts of blood to fill his mouth. He turned his head to the side and spat what he could onto the wooden planks. Despite the dizziness he glared up at his captor, his eyes practically daring him to hit him again.

Cesaro read that defiance for what it was and massaged the knuckles on his right hand as he stared down at Seth. "You are a fool if you think this night is going to end with you and your Doms alive."

Seth continued to glare at him but said nothing. He wanted to but wasn't so sure he could take another punch to the head without losing consciousness. After a moment he closed his eyes and did his best to slow his breathing while probing the inside of his mouth with his tongue to feel for injuries. He heard Cesaro mutter something under his breath in a language he didn't understand before walking off. Seth sighed in relief but kept his eyes closed. It was the only thing keeping the dizziness and nausea at bay.

_"_ _Hurry guys…"_

Sandow meanwhile was looking on both concerned and wary. It seemed like his hired help might be losing control of the situation. He spun in a slow circle taking note of the men inside the warehouse and the ones just outside the front door that Kevin had gone to see about. Was it enough? Were these hired mercenaries enough to take out those two ignoramuses? Sandow counted four men walking along the perimeter of the building, their weapons drawn, careful to scan every inch of the building. When he arrived just a few minutes earlier he counted three armed men at the front door. Including Cesaro and Owens that meant there were nine individuals left to keep things from spiraling out of control. It was definitely enough man power to subdue Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose.

**R&D**

Dean dropped inside the window of the warehouse silently and a few seconds later Roman did the same. Directly in front of them was a wall of crates and old boxes about eight feet high and beyond that were four aisles separated by floor to ceiling shelves that held old rusted out machinery and more boxes.

The two men stayed still for a bit, straining to hear anything that might clue them into what was going on and where Seth might be. They could hear some loud conversation that seemed to be coming from the front of the building but couldn't determine much else. Then they heard approaching footsteps.

Alarmed, Roman pointed to the shelving to the right of their position and motioned for Dean to head that way while he intended to go to the left. Dean did not want to split up and it was obvious in his fierce expression that he was doing this under protest. Still, he followed Roman's instruction and stealthily began heading in that direction with his semi-automatic handgun up at the ready.

Moving carefully to the shelving on the far left, Reigns' stomach was in knots. His weapon was up as well, his finger already on the trigger. Each step was practically silent and even that was too loud to Roman's ears. He was practically holding his breath and was trying hard not to focus on all that could go wrong.

Thirty seconds and a few feet down the aisle Roman suddenly found himself face to face with an armed mercenary coming from around a stack of boxes. The man's eyes widened at the sight of him but before he had a chance to aim his weapon Roman had already fired two shots. Thanks to the silencer the sound was almost nonexistent and he lurched forward to catch the man's already lifeless body before it hit the ground. Teeth grit, he dragged the body as over 200 pounds of dead weight back to the end of the aisle where he and Dean had first dropped in. Right as he made it back the Samoan saw Ambrose doing the same with a body of similar size. Somehow they'd both managed to cap two unsuspecting mercenaries in their quest to find Seth. Dean's eyebrows rose comically at the sight of Roman dumping a body as well but he said nothing.

Just as they were about to go their separate ways down the aisles again they heard crackling static from the radio of one of the deceased men.

"Owens! Johnson, Mike, Chuck and Banks… all were on the rooftop and all of 'em are dead! And we still haven't found Lenny. Over."

Roman and Dean shared a look, wide eyed and vaguely impressed. Punk was a beast with the sniper rifle apparently. They glanced back down at the radio as the man continued speaking.

"What fuck is going on? How could this be FUBAR already? This wasn't worth the 10 k you promised-gack!"

The last transmission was cut off violently and it sounded like the individual was being choked. Dean was frowning now while Roman's eyes narrowed in confusion. Then they heard static again followed by a different voice on the radio.

"You may as well come on out, gentlemen."

Roman cursed softly under his breath and Dean was gripping his weapon so tightly his knuckles went white. They were fucked.

More static. "Oh don't be shy now after you've killed over half of my men. It's time we met face to face."

A pause. "I can see you're going to need some coaxing."

More static. "No!" It was Seth now, yelling at them through the walkie-talkie. "No! Don't! They're just going to-" His sentence went unfinished as he suddenly began screaming. It was high and piteous, pain filled and terrified.

Roman grabbed onto Dean for both support and to keep him from rushing down the aisles. They'd only heard Seth scream like that once before, over a year ago when he'd gotten stabbed by Hunter. The two Doms felt their stomachs drop down somewhere past their knees, sick with fear for their pretty boy.

More static. Same voice as before. "I'll start cutting pieces off of him I swear it, if you don't show yourselves in the next 15 seconds!"

A pause, then a pained yelp from Seth.

Roman snatched the radio off the dead man's belt and brought it up to his lips. He stared into Dean's eyes as he did so who was nodding. His eyes were red and he was blinking rapidly as if to fight back tears.

_"_ _We failed," he thought. "We've fucking failed…"_

Roman took a shaky breath before clicking on the radio. "We're coming out! Don't fucking hurt him anymore!"

Side by side Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns walked with their hands up in front of their chests. Even though it was quite a distance the two moved quickly, eager to see Seth with their own eyes. The second they made it past the last row of shelving they were immediately flanked by two armed men who wasted no time taking their guns from them before shoving them, forcing them to walk with gun barrels pressed between their shoulder blades.

They didn't have to walk far before they saw the rest of them on the platform next to the dock. On one side a man was pulling down on a chain opening the garage like entrance, letting in all the wind and rain of the storm still raging outside. The heavy scent of the river filled the warehouse as violent waves broke upon the exposed dock.

In the center of the platform was their pretty boy, tied to a chair with a layer of duct tape over his mouth. Seth's eyes were wet and wide watching their approach. As they neared him, Dean and Roman could see the blossoming of bruises on his face and a bleeding wound at his shoulder. Seeing that, the reason for his scream earlier became clear. Their eyes remained fixed on his, wanting more than anything to be able to run to him, to hold him, to say to him that everything was going to be okay and for that to be true. But all they could do was continue their march towards death.

So fixated on their sub they almost didn't notice that it was Damien Sandow standing behind him until they were right in front of him. The affluent man looked particularly smug with his nose in the air, rubbing at his beard with his thumb and forefinger.

"So it's come to this?" Their former boss let loose with a decidedly evil chuckle. "You two should have protected your assets better. I thought I taught you better than that."

Dean glared hatefully at Sandow. "I'm really starting to regret not choking the life out of you in your office days ago."

Sandow's tone was snide. "I'll just bet you are."

Roman's eyes went to Seth's frantic gaze before glancing back up at Sandow, hardly noticing the two men that had suddenly flanked him. "This was between us and you. You didn't have to bring Seth into this."

"And that's where you're wrong." The bald man behind Sandow finally spoke up. He shifted so that he ended up pushing Damien to the side so that he was the one now behind Seth. It didn't go unnoticed by either Dom how their pretty boy stiffened when he felt the new presence at his back.

Cesaro smirked at them and started twirling his fingers through Seth's long damp locks. "This has everything to do with _him_."

Dean had enough of the man's posturing and said as much. "What the fuck are you talking about?"

A particularly hard gust of wind blew in through the open door. The already choppy water was splashing up hard against the dock. It was sounding like a freight train outside. At this point they were going to have to yell to hear each other.

However Cesaro was more than happy to oblige. "I'm going to tell you gentlemen a little story. And when I finish…" He paused seemingly for dramatic effect. "We'll let your dear little sub go." Cesaro watched Roman and Dean share a look that appeared to be a mix of rage, confusion, fear and relief. They just had no idea what they were in for.

Kevin's grin turned into an all out chuckle. He was trying to keep his cool but this was just getting too good.

_"_ _Yeah… after we let him go… that's when the real fun starts."_

**P**

Punk made his way slowly and carefully down the hill. But thanks to the wind and heavy downpour he lost his footing and slid halfway down. He managed to bite back a surprised yelp, not that it would have mattered. The storm was a violent onslaught. The thunder cracked loudly and often and the lightning lit up the sky like jagged flashing Christmas lights.

Trying to catch himself on a log, Punk wound up smashing his knee into a large rock. Biting back a curse, he scanned the entrance. It was hard to tell from the distance he was at and without the night scope but the men at the door appeared agitated. They were walking back and forth and doing a lot of gesturing around. He figured that meant that they'd discovered the bodies of the ones he killed.

_"_ _Shit!" thought Punk. He chewed on his lip ring anxiously. "Have those fuckers gotten caught already? Hell, even if they have, they wouldn't have told them they didn't come alone…"_

Which meant it was all up to him.

Steeling himself for what had the potential to spell his death and the death for everyone he cared about Punk crept closer and closer to the front of the warehouse. The wind and the rain made it difficult to see while he made his approach but he managed. He used old discarded oil drums and crates for cover and soon was close enough to see his targets clearly. There were only two men in front of the door now.

Hoping that they wouldn't suddenly decide to turn around subsequently spotting him, Punk cocked one of his pistols and carefully took aim. The first bullet was a direct hit, right between the eyes of the man standing to the right of the door. His partner gave a startled gasp and was just about to run through the door when Punk put three bullets in his chest. The man's body slumped against the front of the building, the thump it made disguised by the sudden boom of thunder. Punk took a deep breath and blew it out slowly then got to his feet. He walked over to the front door cautiously. When he reached it Punk peered through the window trying to see just how bad things had gotten. Like he predicted before his mad dash down the hill things were beyond bad. Leakee and Jon were standing at the edge of the platform in front of the dock with armed mercenaries at their backs. The princess was tied to a chair with the three causes of all this misery, Damien Sandow and the two men he hired behind him.

"Fuck!" murmured Punk shaking his head. "What the hell do I do now?"

"How about you drop your guns and put your fucking hands on your head?" said a voice at his ear.

Punk stiffened. How could he be so careless! He knew that there was another guy out here but had foolishly thought that he was inside the warehouse with everyone else. And with this severe thunderstorm bordering on deafening, he failed to hear the man sneak up on him.

Taking too long to comply found the barrel of the man's shotgun pressed against the base of his skull. Swallowing thickly Punk dropped the pistol that was in his hand first then unholstered the second before dropping that one as well and putting his hands up.

"Now turn around. Slowly."

Punk did as he was told and eventually found himself face to face with a man of indeterminate age with long brown hair in a ponytail and craters in his face caused by deep acne scars. Unlike his comrades that Punk took out earlier he was wearing a bullet proof vest. The man squinted to keep the rain out of his eyes while he looked Punk up and down. He seemed unimpressed with Punk's appearance and snorted as if to emphasize that fact.

"I don't believe it. I refuse to believe you're the one who killed all our boys." The man frowned as he glanced down at the fallen men Punk killed only moments ago. "But I guess the bodies don't lie."

Punk licked his lips. "No. They don't."

"I oughta kill you myself but I think Cesaro or Owens might get pissed at me for popping you before they got a chance to. Go on, open the door then put your hands on your head. We're going inside to meet your friends."

Punk's heart was pounding. If he walked in that door he knew that neither he nor his friends were coming back out. The element of surprise was everything and without it their chance of surviving the night dropped down to zero.

Little by little, Punk brought his hands down as if to open the door. He only had a few seconds to make this move so it had to count. Right when his hands were at chest level, quicker than quick, he pulled a blade he had hidden in his vest, whipped around and jammed the knife up under the gunman's jaw. The man dropped the gun, his eyes going wide. Gurgling and gasping he grabbed at both the knife and Punk's wrists. His blood drenched the both of them though the heavy rain was washing it away quickly. Punk grunted, twisting the blade while shoving the man backwards till he tripped sending them both crashing to the ground. Punk lost his grip on the knife when they fell but wasted no time in pulling another from his hip sheath and stabbing the helpless mercenary once more, this time in the throat. The carotid severed easily, soaking them and the ground beneath them. Punk stared into the man's face watching as his eyes went glassy and he finally stopped struggling.

"God dammit…" Punk pulled both his knives free and sheathed them. Getting to his feet, he turned to look at the warehouse, aware of how much precious time he wasted killing the man at his feet. When he stopped to pick up his guns a flash of lightning revealed an iron ladder against the front of the building. Hoping against hope that there was a skylight or something useful on the roof, Punk made his way over to it and started climbing.

**R&D**

"Let me get this straight," started Roman, his eyes full of contempt for the Swiss man with a hand full of his pretty boy's hair. "Hunter hired you and your comrades to kill Dean and I so you could kidnap Seth. You got hurt in that car chase on the freeway and couldn't come with them to track us down. We killed them before they could kill us and later killed Hunter too." Shaking his head, Roman gave a dry chuckle that was completely devoid of humor. "You couldn't just let us live in peace, huh?"

"Were you going to allow Sandow to live in peace?" sneered Cesaro. "You know what? It doesn't matter anymore. It's all over. And despite you killing off half my men tonight, a deal's a deal." Antonio pointed at both Dean and Roman. "Get on your knees. No reason to draw this out anymore."

Dean scowled. "You let Seth go. _That_ was the deal."

Cesaro glanced at Kevin at his side then turned back to them. "On your knees first! Do it and I'll let him go."

Roman and Dean fell to their knees within seconds of each other. Behind them the armed men kicked at their feet, forcing them to cross their ankles. They could feel the cool metal of the gun barrels on the back of their heads and it was then that death suddenly seemed inevitable. Seth watched them do this in a bleary eyed kind of panic, shaking his head no, willing them to understand him behind the duct tape. But once again, his Doms were helpless, completely and utterly unable to protect him.

Dean and Roman stared at their sub in a mix of resignation and relief.

"We love you pretty boy. You were all we ever wanted since we first laid eyes on you at the club that night." Dean gave a sad little smile, remembering how eager Seth had been, how much he wanted to belong to them and doing any and everything to prove it.

"Always, baby," added Roman. "We're sorry we didn't handle this better; that this happened at all. Fuck. Just live pretty boy. Don't stop living. Live for us, Seth. Love for us. That's all we want."

Tears welled in his eyes and Seth went still. He had so many things he wanted to say to them, to his beloved Doms but the duct tape held fast.

Cesaro merely rolled his eyes, completely unaffected by their words. He motioned to Kevin who reached down and cut the Seth's ankles free from the zip strips but made no move to do anything else.

"What're you waiting for?" rumbled Roman, then hissing under his breath when the gun was pressed even harder against his head. "Now let him go!"

Cesaro's lip curled and he gave Kevin a disturbing smile. "I did give my word after all. Kevin, let the young man go."

"I'll be happy to." Kevin took hold of the rope around the back of the chair and started dragging the younger man. Instantly Roman and Dean figured out what their captor truly meant and began screaming and struggling, trying to get to their feet. Both got the butt of a gun slammed into the back of their heads before being put into a chokehold, forcing them to watch what happened next.

Kevin Owens laughed as he dragged the helpless man to the edge of the dock. Outside the warehouse the storm raged all around them, kicking up massive waves from the river's black waters. Once at the edge, he turned the chair around so that he was facing the younger man, tilting his chair backwards towards the river. The fear he saw in Seth's eyes was genuine and potent.

A fine aphrodisiac.

Seth shook his head frantically. Terror enveloped him completely. He didn't want to die. He didn't want his Doms to die.

"SHIELD!"

Hearing that one word gave Roman and Dean a sliver of hope and they did as commanded by closing their eyes. Two flash grenades were flung into the warehouse that suddenly bathed the entire area in blinding light with an explosive bang! The armed men behind the two Doms instantly tried to cover their eyes and that small moment was what they needed to try to overcome their captors. Dean yanked the man behind him down to the ground in an attempt to try to wrestle the gun away from him. Right beside him Roman was doing something similar, the disorienting effects of the flash grenade doing its job.

Cesaro had shoved Damien Sandow down to the floor, thinking that they were being fired upon. The second he figured out what was really going on he yelled out to Kevin.

"Drop him!"

Kevin grinned in Seth's face, leaned in close and winked, then tipped the chair back into the river with a large satisfying splash.

"NO! SETH!"

Roman had just gotten the upper hand in his fight against the mercenary when he looked to see Seth falling into the swirling black water. Dean roared something unintelligible next to him, fighting desperately to be able to save him.

Kevin rushed back inside the warehouse to join in the fray just missing the blur of a man diving off the roof of the building into the water below.

Seth felt like he'd been holding his breath forever. How long had it actually been? The water was turbulent and freezing. He felt something slam into his back, forcing the last bit of oxygen from his lungs, out of his mouth managing to force the duct tape off as well. Another bubble out of his mouth. Seth's lungs burned, desperate to take a clean breath.

_"_ _This is it…"_

As he sunk further and further down into the murky depths, Seth was losing the will to hold on.

_"_ _But I don't want to die…"_

But he had no choice. There was nothing to save him here; nothing to see, nothing to breathe. But his body was going to try anyway.

_"_ _It's happening… I'm going to drown… Oh god…"_

Something touched his face and it was enough to cause the involuntary reaction of opening his mouth, to suck in water in an attempt to breathe, to scream.

Instead… lips?

A small amount of oxygen passed into his mouth, giving his lungs a measure of relief. Seth felt a hoop of metal in the lips against his while strong arms wrapped around him, felt legs kicking to try and get them back to the surface.

The lips left his and the younger man filled with dread feeling oddly bereft in the icy waters surrounding them. He was working on his bonds now, sawing rapidly at the rope but his movements were sluggish due to hypothermia.

Oxygen was becoming critical again. Seth shook his head, trying to alert his savior to his state. He was fading fast. The biological urge to breathe was building even as the darkness crept in. After all this, he was going to slip into unconsciousness and drown anyway.

_"_ _We're not going to make it, Punk…"_

 


	11. Asleep In The Deep

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Theme song for this chapter is 'Asleep In The Deep' by Mastodon

_"_ _Come on… Come on…!"_

Never in Punk's wildest dreams could he have conjured up this nightmare scenario; submerged in frigid turbulent waters while trying to free the bound and helpless Seth Rollins. He was sawing frantically at the rope with his knife but his fingers were numb so his efforts were slow and clumsy. Desperately kicking his legs as he cut, Punk was trying like hell to keep them from sinking straight down to the bottom. Despite being near the surface there was zero visibility in the stormy waters so Punk was working entirely on touch and sensation alone. When he felt the first snap and slack in the bonds he wanted yell out in victory. He continued sawing and soon he felt the rope give way. Quickly he went to remove the rope, elated that it was being swept away from them by the current. That relief was short lived though when he realized that Seth still wasn't free because the chair was still somehow attached.

Frustrated and lightheaded due to lack of oxygen he decided to try and head for the surface. Tightening his grip underneath Seth's arms, Punk struggled to get his bearings before kicking as hard and as fast as he could. When he finally broke through it was with a huge gasp, sucking in air just as soon as he was able. The waves tossed them around violently due to the storm's powerful winds.

Blinking rapidly, Punk called out to the younger man in his arms, "Seth?! Seth! Come on, princess, say something!"

Seth didn't respond. A flash of lightning revealed that his eyes were closed and his mouth was slack.

Punk began to panic. He tried calling out to Seth again and again, shaking him even but the pretty boy remained unresponsive. Sucking in a big gulp of air, Punk dove below the surface, trying to figure out what else he had to do in order to free Seth. Eventually he came to the younger man's wrists and found that they were bound separately to the back of the chair. Unsheathing the knife once more at his hip, Punk began sawing at the zip ties around Seth's wrists. The inked man no longer had any feeling in his extremities and fumbled with the blade, nearly dropping it in the process.

_"_ _Come on goddammit! Move!"_

Punk doubled his efforts when he realized that they'd begun sinking again. Finally though, the last zip tie popped free and the chair drifted away from them. Punk dragged Seth up to the surface again, sucking in air the second his head broke through. This time he was able to look around and saw that they were actually quite a distance away from the dock. However he spotted the boat ramp and made the decision to swim for it instead. Still it felt like it was taking forever to reach the ramp and it was partly because Punk had to swim against the current. About halfway a wayward tree limb almost pushed them further out into the river but the inked man managed to get around it even with Seth completely limp under his arm. The second Punk could feel the concrete under his feet he felt a twinge of relief. Even with how exhausted he was, he was able to pull Seth completely out of water, dragging him almost to the top of the ramp.

Trembling and practically frozen, Punk fell down at Seth's side. He turned the side of his face to Seth's blue lips. Feeling no breath on his cheek, Punk pressed a finger to Seth's carotid.

No pulse.

"Oh god… Oh fuck… Come on, Seth!"

Punk immediately started doing chest compressions pressing hard onto the younger man's sternum.

1…2…3…4…5…

"Seth, _breathe!_ Fucking breathe!"

25…26…27…28…29…

After the 30th compression he watched and waited to see if Seth would take a breath on his own.

The pretty boy didn't move.

Tears sprang to Punk's eyes but he refused to give up. Carefully he tilted Seth's chin up and pulled his mouth open while pinching his nose closed. Punk took in a deep breath then covered Seth's mouth with his own and exhaled. He watched Seth's chest rise with the breaths he forced into his lungs.

There was no change.

Despair enveloped Punk's heart but he started a new round of chest compressions anyway.

1…2…3…4…

Right at the 5th compression, Seth coughed explosively then gasped for air. Punk let out a cry of relief while turning the younger man on his side as he vomited up a mix of bile and river water. Punk knelt next to him, rubbing Seth's back, coaxing him to relax and breathe.

"Oh thank fuck… Breathe Seth… In and out… In and out…"

Seth was bewildered. Regaining consciousness was so much work and he was still just so very tired. He could faintly hear a voice telling him to breathe and he was trying to follow the instructions but he could only keep coughing. His body was wracked with painful spasms from this coughing fit and it felt like he would never stop.

When he finally was able to take a somewhat clean breath, he could suddenly hear the waves crashing around them and the thunder from the ongoing storm.

_"_ _I remember… Oh god…"_

It all came back to him in a horrifying rush. Being kidnapped… his Doms coming to rescue him… being surrounded by water utterly unable to move… a small hoop of metal in lips against his… a glimmer of hope… then pain… so, so much pain when the river filled his lungs…

Dying hurt.

It hurt so fucking bad.

Frantically Seth began clawing at the air in blind terror. He was trying to scream but the sound wouldn't come. So heightened was his fear that he didn't realize that he wasn't alone. Then a pair of strong arms wrapped around him. He could hear someone trying to talk to him in an attempt to calm him. The voice was familiar and that was comforting in and of itself. A tender kiss was pressed against his forehead and finally Seth relaxed. Only when the lips left his skin did Seth open his eyes to find that it was CM Punk was staring down at him, relieved yet grim.

He brushed Seth's hair back from his forehead. "It's okay. You're okay now."

Seth squinted up at the inked man, perplexed. That confusion quickly gave way to surprise and wonder. Punk just saved his life. When death seemed inevitable Punk dove in and quite literally pulled him back from the brink.

"I…" Seth turned his head and coughed. That one word burned his throat and he was forced to stop, to try again. "I can't believe you're here."

Punk gave a small smile, relaxing a bit so that his body inadvertently draped over Seth's. "Yeah… I heard you got into a little trouble, princess. Where else would I be?"

In spite of being soaked through, and in spite of the chill in the air because of the storm, Seth felt a curious warmth trickle through him as he stared into the green eyes fixed on his. It was concentrated in the center of his chest, a delightfully pleasant kind of heat and Seth suppressed a shiver. If Punk noticed, he said nothing. The two men were quiet for a beat, reflective. The thunder and lightning, the wind and the rain… all of that went ignored. But what broke them out of their reverie would up being the crack of a not so distant gunshot.

Seth bit back a scream then gasped when Punk dropped completely down over top of him in an effort to shield. A few tense seconds passed and slowly Punk got to his knees above Seth just shy of sitting on his hips, looking out in the direction of the warehouse dock. Over the roar of the storm and rushing river he could hear some shouting and more gunshots. Filled with a sudden urgency, Punk leaned down to whisper in Seth's ear.

"Can you move? Can you stand?"

Seth flexed his limbs a bit before nodding. Punk got to his feet then reached down to pull the younger man up into a standing position. Seth swayed on his feet, surprised at how drained he felt. Punk pulled one of Seth's arms over his shoulder while he wrapped an arm around the younger man's waist and quickly guided them to the exterior wall of the warehouse. There were some crates stacked off to the side of the boat ramp and Punk made a beeline for them, hoping against hope that they wouldn't be spotted before making cover. They made it behind the crates but it took significant effort to do so. The surge of adrenaline that helped Punk function for the last half hour was gone. He was almost completely tapped out.

"It's Dean and Roman, isn't it?" Seth's voice was tremulous when he asked that dreaded question. He trembled in Punk's grasp while trying to peer around him and into the darkened windows of the warehouse. "They're trapped in there! We have to go save them!" Seth looked up into Punk's face, pleading with his eyes.

Punk pointedly avoided the younger man's frantic gaze. There was another gunshot followed by a bellow of pain that could have come from either Roman or Dean. He squeezed Seth tightly, plagued by indecision. His two best friends were still inside, possibly hurt, possibly dying. But he'd promised them earlier that he would do whatever it took to get their sub to safety.

After a long moment, Punk shook his head. "I can't risk it, princess. I'm sorry. I promised them I would get you out of here."

Seth's eyes widened in horror. He began twisting in his savior's grip trying desperately to pull away. "No! _No!_ We're _not_ leaving them!"

Realizing that leaving with Seth at this moment would likely spell death for his friends (if they weren't dead already) was making Punk sick to his stomach.

_"_ _But if I go in and try to save them and we all die… Seth doesn't stand a chance…"_

Decision made, Punk gripped Seth tightly and started to head for the back of the warehouse. The younger man squirmed in his arms, flailing about weakly in an attempt to free himself. He was crying now, screaming out his Doms' names. It was heartbreaking and Punk felt like shit for it but if he didn't get Seth under control they would be heard and then nobody was going to make it out of this night alive.

With more force than he meant to, Punk shoved Seth back first into the wall. He stepped into him with his knee between Seth's legs, chest to chest; their hips flush against each other. At the same time Punk clapped a hand over the younger man's mouth, stifling his cries.

Seth gasped at the impact and he stopped struggling almost instantly.

Sighing, Punk closed his eyes and rested his forehead against Seth's but didn't relinquish his hold.

"Don't you realize this hurts me too?" said the inked man almost too quietly to be heard. "I _know_ they're your lovers… your Doms... But they're also _my_ best friends. We grew up together. We've fought together. We've killed together. But when we came here tonight they begged me to take care of you. Made me promise to get you out of here if they weren't able to; made me promise to protect you. I've fucked things up enough by not respecting their wishes in the past like with Hunter. I'm keeping my promise this time." Punk pulled back so that he could see Seth's face. He took his hand away from his mouth and pressed it to Seth's chest instead. The pretty boy watched him do this with wide, wet eyes.

"I…" Punk shook his head, growled out of sudden frustration then started again, the words spilling out of him in a rush. "They love you. They risked everything, sacrificed everything to try and save you. You can hate me if you want to. If that makes this easier princess, by all means get mad. Scream, yell, hit me if you have to. But I _am_ fucking getting you out of here whether you like it or not."

Punk didn't give Seth a chance to respond. Ignoring the despair on his face and tears in his eyes, he resumed walking them to the back of the warehouse so they could make their way up the hill where the jeep waited.

**Minutes Earlier**

"Noooo! Seth!"

Roman had just gotten control of the merc's gun when Kevin dropped their sub into the river. He wanted to jump up and dive in after Seth but couldn't with the man over top of him trying like hell to kill him. Off to the side Dean was screaming wordlessly a volatile mix of rage and anguish as their pretty boy disappeared from view while he did everything he could to get free of the man on top of him.

Roman used every bit of strength he had to finally turn the mercenary's gun around on himself and fire. It was a single shot through the man's throat who gurgled in shock then toppled backwards. Before it was even a conscious thought Roman rolled onto his side and shot the man straddling Dean in the head and chest, killing him. Barely stopping for a breath both men jumped up, ready to run for the docks, desperate to jump in the river and save their sub, unsure if Punk managed to rescue him.

But Cesaro had different plans. He saw the two men headed for the door and began firing at them not necessarily to kill them, merely to keep them from leaving the warehouse. He wanted them to suffer. He wanted them to feel completely and utterly helpless while their sub drowned. Cesaro laughed as they tried to dodge his bullets ducking behind some large piece of industrial machinery.

Despite following Roman to the much needed cover the machine provided, Dean was already preparing to sprint back out in the direction of the dock. The Samoan grabbed his shirt, yanking him back right as Cesaro sent another hailstorm of bullets their way.

"No! NO!" Roman shoved him down while he returned fire. "He'll fucking shred you!"

Dean glared at his partner in astonished rage. "Fuck if I care! Seth's fucking drowning!"

"Punk's got him!" Roman didn't have to turn around to know that Dean was glaring at him. "Besides, if we run out now that asshole will light us up before we even reach the dock! Trust that Punk's got him!"

Dean reached over and began firing with the AK he managed to snag on the way to cover while Roman reloaded his weapon. "Why, man?! Why do you have such blind faith in Punk?"

"Because he made a promise to us," replied Roman simply as he unloaded his clip. "And because he's in love with Seth. He won't let our pretty boy die. He can't."

Dean gave an impressive snarl at that but said nothing. There wasn't any time to mull over the implications of their friend being in love with their sub. All they could do was work on surviving the night. And if that bald motherfucker across the warehouse had any say in the matter they wouldn't survive the next few minutes.

Damien Sandow was crouched next to his hired assassin in utter disbelief. As far as the cultured business man was concerned the whole situation had gotten way out of control. Sandow clamped his hands over his ears, the gunshots terribly loud. He barely noticed when they were joined behind the crates by Kevin Owens. The husky man was laughing, his eyes crinkling with mirth as he also began firing shots at Roman and Dean.

In between rounds Kevin glanced over at Cesaro. "You need to get moneybags out of here, Antonio. If he gets killed, we don't get paid."

At this point Cesaro was so amped up he didn't care if he got paid or not. He just wanted to put a bullet between the eyes of Ambrose and Reigns and be done with it. Right as he was about to respond to Kevin his gaze fell on the two discarded flash grenades a few feet away. How could he have forgotten that quickly?

"I can't leave you here!" exclaimed Cesaro. "Clearly they had an accomplice throw those grenades in here."

Kevin raised an eyebrow then ducked a bit as Roman and Dean returned fire. "Shit," he said shaking his head. "Well, assuming their help jumped in the river to save the kid, I doubt whoever it is- is still alive. The boy was tied up good and it's a goddamn monsoon outside. They're both fish food, Antonio."

Cesaro frowned as he mulled that over. "Fine," he said, accepting that line of thought. "But why don't you escort Sandow to his car. I'll cover you. Just don't leave! I may need the help."

Kevin chuckled while grabbing Sandow up by the scruff of his trench coat. "Alright then." He waited for Antonio to start firing in the direction of the two Doms before sprinting in the direction of the warehouse front door. He had to drag Damien along who either wasn't physically able to keep up or who was too frightened to break out into a true run. Eventually they made it to the door and Kevin shoved him outside.

"Go. But don't go home. If for some reason they get by us or they have other friends willing to help them out, your house is the first place they'll look."

Sandow already had his keys in hand. "What about the rest of your payment? When you kill them, how will-"

"Don't you worry about that," interrupted Kevin while glancing over his shoulder. "No matter where you go, we'll find you." The last was said with a narrowed eye glare as if daring Sandow to try and skip out on their contract.

Taking the heavyset man at his word and not the threat it was meant to be Sandow turned and hurried to his car. Once inside he started it up and drove away, kicking up all sorts of gravel and debris in his haste. He hoped that things would be resolved tonight but his confidence in Cesaro and Owens was waning.

Back inside the warehouse Kevin saw that Cesaro was still exchanging fire with the two men. From his vantage point, he also saw a way that he'd be able to sneak up on them while Antonio had them distracted. Grinning, Kevin went wide around the stack of crates in front, hoping to come around the machinery and put an end to this once and for all. As he neared the machine that the two men were using for cover, Owens pulled a glock from his shoulder holster and brought the weapon up. He crept along the shelving, biding his time while he waited for the opportune moment to present itself.

_"_ _Ah! Here we go…"_

He peered around the edge of a large unopened crate and could almost see both men clearly. The dirty blond was closest, crouching beside the larger man who yelled something over his shoulder before taking aim and shooting at Cesaro's general direction. Kevin chuckled to himself and moved even closer.

_"_ _I could kill the blond right now," thought Kevin with a grin._ He had a clear shot to the back of man's head and likely could incapacitate the other one before he even knew what happened.

_"_ _But where's the fun in that?"_

Kevin lowered the gun, aiming for the something a little less lethal. Unlike Cesaro, Owens enjoyed a good fight. He wanted to give these men a chance to beat him but of course it still had to be on his terms.

A trapped and wounded animal will put up a hell of a fight just to survive.

But Kevin still expected to win.

Buzzing with anticipation, Owens lined up his shot…

aimed…

fired…

The scream of pain from his prey was music to his ears.

Owens ducked back down out of sight, extremely pleased with himself.

_"_ _Now the real fun begins!"_

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FWIW: I apologize for how long it took me to post this update. I had the bulk of this chapter finished a few weeks ago but I got pretty ill and didn't pick it back up again until recently. We're over the hump here folks :) I don't know how many more chapters till the end but we're getting there.


	12. The Giggle At A Funeral

"Ahhh! Fuck!"

Roman watched in horror as Dean fell over on his side clutching his arm. Not entirely sure which direction the bullet came from, the Samoan dragged Ambrose away from the edge of the machine so that he was shielding his body with his own.

"Dean?! Dean!" Roman was frantically trying to search for the bullet wound and became desperate when Ambrose refused to let him check him over.

The dirty blonde shook his head, groaning at the pain. "I'm okay, I'm okay!" Blood started seeping between his fingers as he gripped his arm, the wound feeling like it was on fire. Dean forced himself to give his frantic partner some reassuring eye contact. "It went in and out. Just hurts like a sonofabitch."

Roman hissed through his teeth. "Goddamn Dean! Let me- let me see it!" He tried slapping Dean's hand away so he could get a good look at the wound but his partner was somehow dodging his efforts.

"Just leave it, Rome! There's no fucking time-"

"I could have killed you both just now."

Startled, both Ambrose and Reigns looked up to see the barrel of a rifle pointed just inches from Dean's head. It was the bearded man; the one who dropped their sub into the river, leaving him to drown. Dean cursed under his breath but otherwise didn't move. Roman glanced from the armed man to Ambrose and back again. His hand twitched at the thought of going for the man's weapon. He'd likely get shot in the process but that was a risk Roman was willing to take.

He never even got the chance.

In the sixty seconds the three men had been staring at each other Cesaro had gotten up and made his way over to them. Right as Reigns calculated his chances of taking Owens out before he could kill Dean, the click of a gun being cocked sounded behind his head.

Ambrose groaned and shook his head filled with a sad combination of agony and defeat. Roman didn't take his eyes off of the man in front of him while steadfastly refusing to acknowledge the one at his back. Frowning, he grasped Dean up under his armpits, cringing at the pained moan Dean gave as he pulled him onto his lap. His normally loud, vitriol spitting partner said nothing and allowed himself to be dragged. Roman held him close, his bicep tight under Dean's neck almost cutting off his oxygen. Dean bit his bottom lip before finally letting go of his wound to clutch Roman's arm tightly with both of his hands.

_"_ _This isn't how I ever expected to go out…" thought Dean shutting his eyes. "But I'm glad it was like this. I'm glad it's in the arms of the first person I ever loved while trying to rescue the second person I ever loved. I hope Punk saved you, pretty boy. I hope to god he did. If not… I'll see you real soon…"_

Roman closed his eyes. He concentrated on the man in his arms; how he felt, how he smelled, what his touch meant to him after all these years… Then Seth's face flashed in his mind. Not wide eyed and tear streaked, not bruised and bloody but happy and content, his eyes filled with love and hope and twinkling with mischief.

 _"_ _Be good for Punk, pretty boy. Be as happy with him as you were with us. He loves you Seth and I think… I_ know… _you love him too…"_

Owens caught Cesaro's eye and scowled. If there was one thing that Kevin hated it was an easy kill. These two were just going to give up? Just like that? The fire and burning hatred they'd exhibited only minutes prior seemed to be gone. They were ready to die.

And that just wouldn't do.

Antonio seemed to have a clue as to what Owens was thinking and strongly disapproved. But if he didn't let the other man have his way, he'd likely have a fight on his hands. And if he didn't wind up hurt, he'd have to give Owens more money to keep him satisfied and on retainer for future jobs.

Growling a little under his breath, Cesaro gestured an 'okay' with his gun to Owens coupled with an annoyed 'hurry it up' look on his face. Kevin grinned then; pleased he was going to be able to have some more fun. He took his finger off the trigger and tapped Reigns in the face with the barrel of the rifle.

The Samoan flinched at the first tap but didn't open his eyes. The second tap was much harder than the first but got the desired reaction and Roman's eyes popped open.

He frowned up at the bearded man. "Would you just fucking do it already?!"

At that, Dean opened his eyes as well. Having made his peace with death a few minutes ago, he was starting to get pissed that it hadn't come yet. "Come on! Let's get this over with, jackass."

Kevin smiled. "Well I was thinking I might offer you two the opportunity to walk out of here."

Roman and Dean glanced at each other with eyebrows raised before looking back up at Kevin with suspicion. They responded at the same time with;

"Is that so?"

"Why the fuck would you do that?"

"Yeah, why not?" responded Kevin with a shrug of his shoulders. "Either you beat me and we'll let you leave here, free and clear. Or you sit there and we put two bullets in your brains. Regardless, your boss is paying for our services."

Again the two glanced at each other. They knew that this was only a way to drag out their imminent demise and yet the thought of taking at least one of these assholes with them had its own twisted appeal.

Dean sat up and pushed away from Roman while clutching his injured arm. "Fine. Let's get this over with."

Roman stared at him incredulously. "The fuck?! I'm doing this! Not you!"

"The hell you are! Mothefucker shot me! I should be the one putting my fist through his face!"

"Enough!" interrupted Cesaro before their bickering could really take off. He gestured at Kevin. "This is on you. Who do you want to face?"

Kevin smiled broadly. "I think this fella here will be more of a challenge," he said pointing at Roman.

Cesaro shook his head, not happy with this at all but willing to play along for now. "You heard him. Get up. Show us what you've got."

Dean eyed the two mercenaries warily before grabbing Roman quickly to him and kissing the top of his head then releasing him. Reigns gave his partner a small grin and a wink as he got to his feet. Neither man expected to live beyond the next few minutes but if an opportunity presented itself they were going to do their damndest to take it.

Owens tossed his rifle to Antonio who caught it effortlessly with one hand while keeping his own gun trained on Ambrose. He walked out to the center of the wooden floor, the planks creaking under each step. Roman Reigns followed him, eager to cause some serious damage… to hurt him… to kill him…

When Kevin turned around to face him it was with a sly grin. He thought that he had broken the Samoan and his partner when he dropped their sub into the river. They were angry and they were grieving.

_"_ _This is going to be so much fun!" he thought._

The two men began circling each other, clearly sizing each other up. Roman was eyeing the other man carefully, trying to determine if he had any hidden weapons on him and if he did, would he be able to use them against him. Kevin knew that Reigns was going to try to kill him and that coupled with the anticipation of a hard fight got the adrenaline pumping through his veins. He nodded at Reigns, gesturing for him to 'bring it'. And that's exactly what Roman did. Faster than should have been possible, he lunged straight for Owens and when he hit they both crashed to the floor. Even though he knocked the wind out of the mercenary the shock didn't last for long and suddenly punches were flying.

Kevin and Roman rolled over and over each of them trying to gain a foothold over the other. Eventually it ended with Roman on top. He was snarling viciously with one hand around Owens' throat and the other punching whatever he could reach. Kevin tried to laugh but could only manage a choked cough. Then he lifted his hips up just enough to kick Reigns between the legs. The Samoan gasped in pain and in that split second let go of Kevin's throat that allowed him to maneuver his way on top.

With positions reversed, Kevin released a brutal onslaught, his heavy fists thudding repeatedly into Roman's face. He was a much better fighter than the Samoan could ever hope to be and it showed. Each punch hit its mark and Roman was struggling to block them. Because Owens was straddling his waist, he was pinned, unable to move, unable to fight back. A well placed punch to his eye and Roman felt (as well as heard) a loud crunch. He couldn't help it. He screamed.

At hearing his partner's cry of pain, without even thinking about it, Dean made a move to get up. But at hearing a pistol cocking behind his head he instead turned to face Cesaro. If looks could kill, the bald headed man would've been dead ten times over. It didn't matter though, he was unbothered by Dean's searing look of hatred.

"You didn't really think we'd let you two walk out of here?" he asked, his tone snide. When Ambrose didn't answer, Cesaro continued on. "You two have been a thorn in my side for over a year. No matter what, I was going to make you pay for killing my comrades… for injuring _me!_ " Antonio grinned then and Dean recognized the madness that was peeking out.

"And when my associate over there finishes beating your lover to death, I'm going to put three rounds in your chest. One for you, one for him," he said pointing at Roman. "And one for your pretty little sub at the bottom of the river."

Dean narrowed his eyes at the hateful man and was in the process of opening his mouth to curse him out when the sound of automatic gunfire filled the warehouse. Right before his eyes Cesaro's body was riddled with bullets. The merc dropped both guns, stunned as he shuddered and jerked with each hit before falling to the ground. Ambrose wasted no time in trying to see who had just come to their rescue. Instead he snatched up one of the fallen weapons and pointed it straight at Owens whom had sat up to see what all the commotion was. The bearded man gave a wry smile, staring Dean right in the eye as he pulled the trigger. Kevin Owens lifeless body slumped down on top of Roman who didn't appear to be moving.

Hands shaking as he came to grips with how close he was to death, Dean turned around slowly and saw Ryback standing a few feet away with a rifle up at his shoulder. On either side of him were two other members of the Outlaws; Gabriel and a much younger man that Dean had never seen before.

The younger man gave a bright smile, his teeth almost seeming to glow against the dark chocolate of his skin. "The storm is over."

Ambrose merely shook his head. "You guys came right on time. Now come over here and help me."

Ryback and the other two men walked over quickly and pulled the heavy man's body off of Reigns. When he was uncovered Dean hissed at the sight of his partner and Ryback couldn't help but give a low whistle.

Roman's face was a mess, bruised and swelling rapidly. But the worst of it was his left eye. There was so much blood and the swelling was so severe they couldn't even see the extent of the damage.

Dean knelt down next to Roman and pressed a finger to his throat. The pulse was steady and strong despite being unconscious but he just looked so… weak, so… damaged.

"Goddammit, Rome…" whispered Dean, near tears. He leaned over to kiss the Samoan's forehead once, twice. "Why do you always gotta be a fucking hero?!"

Ryback put an awkward yet comforting hand on Ambrose's shoulder. "I'm going to take you two to the hospital back in town. Patrick and Gabriel can handle the cleanup."

**R**

For the first few minutes it was silent in Ryback's truck. Dean was in the backseat with Roman on his lap whom hadn't regained consciousness yet. He kept smoothing his dark, sweat damp hair back, murmuring something under his breath as he did so. Roman's face was fucked. And the swelling was entirely too bad around the eye so Dean couldn't tell if it was damaged as well. For all he knew, Roman might have already lost vision in that eye or even the eye itself.

"You haven't asked about him," said Ryback almost solemnly. He glanced up at the rearview mirror and caught sight of Dean's face. He looked haunted and terrified at the same time. Seeing that he wasn't going to speak, Ryback continued on. "Your boy's alive. Punk got to him in time. They're both at the hospital."

Dean had no idea just how tightly wound he was until Ryback revealed that news about Seth. He felt himself finally begin to relax, despite how worried he was about Roman. Seth was alive! Their pretty boy was alive! Dean smiled a little then let loose with a vaguely crazed laugh.

"Why the hell didn't you lead with that you asshole?!"

Ryback chuckled as well but ignored the question. "It's a good thing you I got to you and Leakee when I did too. Punk was already making plans to take baby boy out of the country when we last spoke. They were convinced you guys were dead."

"What?!" Ambrose squinted at that news, suddenly perplexed and weirdly angry though he didn't know why. He remembered what Roman had said about Punk loving their sub. He remembered telling Punk himself to do whatever it took to protect Seth. This news shouldn't surprise him but it did.

"Just get us to the fucking hospital man."

**P**

CM Punk was sitting in the back of Seth Rollins' hospital room, watching him sleep. The younger man had become hysterical the moment he stepped inside the hospital and had to be sedated before he could even be examined. Now he was being forced to stay for the next couple of days to make sure there were no ill effects of his drowning and that his lungs were completely drained of fluid. Seth was peaceful now but it was artificial and Punk knew it.

As he contemplated his decisions in the last week, he felt a presence at his side. The man sat down heavily in the chair next to him and stared across the room at the sleeping sub.

"I've done what you asked; new passports and tickets to Spain. That's just a stopping point of course but maybe you can figure out your next step before then."

Punk nodded almost absently. "Thanks Bray. I just didn't have the energy to do that shit tonight."

Wyatt nodded then made a considering noise under his breath. "Are you sure about this, son?"

"That merc isn't going to stop unless he kills Seth too. This is the right move. The only move until I can figure something else out." Punk was determined but weary.

Bray huffed a little, not totally convinced. "You know how hard this is going to be. That young man there has gone through a lot. He's going to be depressed and he's going to be angry. If he doesn't blame himself, he's going to blame you."

The inked man nodded once again. "I probably deserve it," he said quietly. "It all happened so fast! Did I do the right thing by taking him and running? It's what Leakee and Jon wanted. Should I have risked us both to try to save them anyway? I still don't know. I just don't fucking know." Punk sighed and raked a hand through his hair. "He's never going to forgive me for leaving them behind. And honestly… I can't blame him."

Bray didn't know what to say to that so he just kept silent. Instead he leaned over to rub soothing circles against Punk's back offering what little comfort he could. His shoulders were hunched like he had the weight of the world on them. Bray thought that perhaps he had.


	13. Command Me To Be Well

It was looking to be the start of a beautiful day. Post thunderstorm the skies were clear of clouds and full of color as the sun started to rise. The air smelled fresh and clean. A light breeze seemed to add to the chill in the air but it was crisp not cold. Dean was staring out the windows of the truck, just taking it all in.

Things were finally looking up.

Roman regained consciousness just as they were pulling up to the hospital. His head throbbed and burned and his entire body felt like one large ache. He shifted around on Dean's lap and attempted to open his eyes but could only manage to open the right. He focused in on Dean's face who looked down at him in utter relief.

"What happened?" Roman put a hand to his temple feeling completely out of sorts.

"The Big Guy and his friends saved our asses; that's what happened." Dean shook his head but managed a small smile. "We're at the hospital now so you're going to be okay, Rome."

"Ugh… Doesn't feel like it," complained Reigns, his mouth turned down in a frown. "My head feels like it's in a goddamn vice. And I can't open my eye."

"I hate to break it to you but I'm going to be prettier than you for a while." Dean chuckled but not like it was all that funny. "Fat bastard fucked your face all the way up."

Roman gave an abrupt laugh then winced at the pain it caused. "Shut up. Even like this I'm probably prettier than you."

At that moment, Ryback opened the back door and they were met with the sight of several doctors and nurses with a couple of gurneys ready to wheel them inside.

Dean slid out of the backseat first then helped Roman to do the same. After the Samoan was settled on the gurney he leaned down and kissed him gently on the lips.

"Let them fix you up then we can go see Seth."

Roman looked dumbfounded for a second then a bright smile graced his lips. "I told you Punk would take care of him."

Dean pursed his lips but didn't argue. "Yeah, yeah. Go on."

One of the doctors and a couple of nurses wheeled Roman inside quickly, questioning him about his pain threshold and whether or not his vision was impaired.

Dean climbed onto the remaining gurney with a little help. His bullet wound throbbed and burned but also seemed to be going numb. That meant there was likely nerve damage so he wanted to get it looked at as soon as possible.

Ryback looked down at him. "Patrick called me a little while ago to let me know they removed all traces of you guys being there. Seems like he and Gabriel just dumped all the bodies in the river though. Should be interesting seeing where they wind up washing ashore. _If_ they do at all."

Dean frowned. "I don't give a shit about that."

The bald man sighed. "Your boy is fine, okay? He did have to be sedated one of the nurses told me but they stitched up his stab wound, pumped him full of antibiotics and made sure that there was no more fluid in his lungs. He's in better shape than you are at this point. Now go let this nice hospital staff do their job."

Finally Dean relented and allowed himself be taken inside. He was just eager to be able to see his pretty boy again.

**S**

When Seth woke up, he did it slowly and in stages. The last thing he remembered was fighting Punk and the hospital staff in the midst of a panic attack before someone jabbed a needle in his arm.

He groaned and struggled to sit up, opening his eyes as he did so. He wound up pulling on the stitches in maneuvering himself into a seated position but he barely noticed. His throat was sore and his body ached but he hardly noticed that either. What he did feel was despair, utter and completely.

_"_ _They're dead… They're dead and it's your fault!"_

Seth couldn't stop the thoughts, the emotional torment now that he was awake. Large fat tears rolled down his cheeks.

_"_ _Shit follows you everywhere you go! You're a goddamn psycho magnet! That's why Dean is dead. That's why Roman is dead. And when Punk realizes how much trouble you are, he'll leave you…"_

Quiet sobs roused Punk from a dead sleep in the uncomfortable chair he was curled up in. His eyes immediately went to Seth and saw that the younger man was not handling consciousness very well. In a flash he was at the pretty boy's side, sitting on the edge of his bed, doing what he could to comfort him. He wrapped an arm around Seth's shoulders and pulled him close while taking care to keep from yanking his stitches open.

"It's okay, princess. I'm here." Punk squeezed the younger man and felt some measure of relief when Seth's arms wrapped around his middle.

Seth wanted to speak, wanted to thank Punk, wanted to beg him not to leave him ever but no words made it past his lips. The slow tears continued and he soaked the older man's shirt with them.

"We're going to get through this, Seth," whispered Punk, stroking his hair back now. "I'll keep you safe. I fucking promise."

"Be-because th-they asked you to?" It came out as a blubbering sob but Punk understood Seth perfectly.

"No, princess. It's because I _want_ to." The inked man said this with conviction. He wanted to make sure that Seth didn't and would never doubt his sincerity.

Seth exhaled a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding. He was calm now but found himself clutching Punk tighter. The threatening and self pitying thoughts were gone for the moment. He had the answers he needed. Punk would never leave him. Punk was going to protect him. His heart ached for his Doms and fear of Cesaro remained but Punk would take care of him.

After a few silent moments of Punk comforting Seth (and vice versa) the older man quietly asked, "What do you say we get out of here?" He could feel Seth gearing up to question this and he quickly added, "I know they want to keep you for another day but I could take you home. We could relax somewhere more comfortable before our flight."

"W-where are we going?" Seth was only vaguely curious. He didn't really care so long as he wasn't left alone.

"Spain," answered Punk. He was rubbing his hands up and down the sub's arms as he talked. It was soothing for both of them. "We could hang out there for a few weeks. It'll be good for you, I think. Then we can plan where to go next."

"Hmmm…" was Seth's noncommittal reply. He could feel himself dozing off already. He was exhausted mentally and physically. His body craved a more natural sleep than the sedative provided.

Punk could feel the younger man's grip around his waist loosening and heard his breaths deepening and evening out. He inhaled and blew his breath out slowly, thankful that Seth seemed so accepting.

 _"_ _He's probably just numb," thought the inked man wryly._ Punk understood. He was even somewhat envious! He couldn't even begin to start the grieving process for his dead friends, not when there was just so much to do; especially not when he was trying to keep the princess from falling all the way apart. He'd grieve Leakee and Jon in his own time when Seth wasn't completely dependent on him.

It seemed great in theory but it was also wearing him out just thinking about it. Abruptly Punk's attention went to the window to the hallway. Through the blinds he could see Wyatt was about to come in the room when he was stopped by an orderly. The orderly was gesturing around and appeared pretty animated. Punk watched Bray's eyes widen before a huge smile broke out on his face. The second the orderly walked away, the bearded man tapped on the window and gestured for Punk to come out and join him.

Carefully Punk unwrapped himself from Seth's sleeping form. The pretty boy huffed a little in his sleep as if annoyed but went still fairly quickly. Punk practically tiptoed out of the room and shut the door behind him.

"What's going on, Bray?"

"Jon and Leakee are alive!" cried Wyatt wasting no time. He was damn near giddy dispelling the news.

Punk took a step back, completely shell-shocked. "What?" he asked not sure he heard correctly. "What did you say?"

"Ryback and his boys rescued them! They're downstairs being patched up as we speak!" Bray grabbed hold of Punk's shoulders, shaking him. "They're alive, son! They're alive!"

Feeling suddenly ill, Punk dropped down to one knee on the floor. Concerned Bray crouched down next to him, putting a comforting hand on the inked man's shoulder. He could hear Punk's breaths, quick and shallow as if he was fighting not to vomit.

"Hey now," said the older man quietly. "This is good. This is what we wanted, right? Our friends are alive. And what matters more is that young man in there," he pointed to Seth's hospital room, "won't have to live the rest of his life thinking that their deaths was his fault."

Punk took a deep breath and forced himself to stop shaking. "You're right," he said after a beat. "Of course you are. I was just… surprised that's all. I'm glad they're okay."

Bray helped Punk to his feet. "I know you are. Here, why don't you go tell Seth the good news while I go downstairs to check on the other two?" It was a suggestion, not a question and Wyatt even pushed Punk inside the hospital room before he took off down the hall.

Punk stood there for a moment just inside the door, rigid, with a storm of emotions brewing inside him. Part of him was happy his friends survived; ecstatic even. But another part of him, the more selfish, self-serving part of him was angry, no enraged that Leakee and Jon dared to be alive. Punk was going to be denied the new life, the fresh start with Seth Rollins that he, up until a week ago didn't realize he wanted and desperately at that. They couldn't be together with Jon and Leakee alive… and now they would never be.

Doing his best to keep his negative and selfish thoughts off of his face, Punk sat down next to Seth's sleeping form on the bed. He looked down at him; taking note of how his eyes were still swollen from the tears he shed this morning and the bruising on his jaw from getting abused by his captors last night. His gaze focused on Seth's lips, chapped and dry; different from how pink and succulent they were normally.

Punk licked his lips, knowing this was his last chance, knowing he'd never get another opportunity like this. So he leaned down, brushing the tip of his nose against Seth's, then did the same with his lips against his. He teased himself for a few seconds then finally pressed his lips softly against Seth's. Punk could feel the younger man beginning to stir but couldn't begin to stop himself. He increased the pressure then licked a wet stripe across Seth's bottom lip, coaxing him to part his lips so that Punk could deepen the kiss. He tasted the inside of the sub's mouth and it was weird and wonderful all at once, better than he could have ever imagined. At feeling Seth's tongue curl around his, Punk's dick began to harden immediately and he almost cursed aloud. After a few blissful moments, the inked man pulled back, ending the kiss that he'd wanted for over a year now. He watched Seth intensely, silently pleased at the flush in his cheeks and the redness to his lips. He'd done that. The younger man's mouth stayed parted and his eyes closed for a few more seconds as he came to grips with what just happened.

"Punk…?" Seth's voice wavered with confusion and another emotion he didn't have the energy to figure out. His eyes slowly opened to find that Punk was staring down at him. Despite the mind numbingly sweet kiss they just shared, the older man's face was surprisingly blank.

But his eyes…

"Hey princess," said the inked man, forcing a smile. "I've got something to tell you."

Seth's heart started thudding wildly in his chest. The heart monitor he was connected to began beeping loudly in correlation to it. He watched Punk turn to it then back to him.

"What is it? What's wrong?" Seth felt that all too familiar anxiety creeping in.

"It's about Leakee and Jon," Punk stated quietly. "They're alive."

Seth blinked at him. "What?! No! No! I can't take this-"

Punk grabbed Seth in attempt to keep him grounded. "I'm telling the truth, princess. I swear! Bray just told me himself and he's downstairs with them now. Your Doms are alive. Ryback got to them in time. They. Are. Alive."

Seth's eyes filled with tears before he flung himself at Punk. He cried noisily with hysterical laughter thrown in between sobs. He was crying so loudly that he didn't hear the door open. But he heard the gravelly voice next to his bed loud and clear.

"I think you better calm down pretty boy or you're liable to break Punk in half."

Seth bolted upright so fast he almost head butted the inked man in the process. Less than a foot away was a shirtless, grinning Dean Ambrose with his arm in a sling against his chest, while wearing a pair of hospital scrubs on his lower half.

Punk climbed out of the bed, giving Dean a sheepish smile as he did so. The dirty blonde ignored him for the moment, sitting down next to Seth so that he could brush his hair back away from his tear streaked face. Dean dropped kisses all over Seth's body, anywhere that was exposed before claiming his lips.

Seth sighed, suddenly relaxed and content as his Dom lavished affection on him. He soaked it in, relished it. And when Dean kissed him Seth felt unabashed happiness that would only increase the moment he saw Roman again.

Dean finally broke the kiss, caressing Seth's face while wiping away tears with his thumb. He looked up to see that Punk was about to walk out the door.

"Hey, man."

Punk looked up. "Yeah?"

"Thank you. Thank you for taking care of our pretty boy."

Punk smiled then and it was little sad. "No problem."

Barely off the elevator downstairs, Punk was directed by an orderly to the nearest exam room. He opened the door to see Bray standing next to the bed and Leakee laying in it. He stopped short when he realized that the Samoan's left eye was bandaged with thick gauze that was held in place by more gauze wrapped around his head. His face was swollen and bruised but he gave a huge grin when he looked up and saw Punk entering the room.

"Punk!" He held his arms open wide, chuckling when the inked man came to him awkwardly for a hug. Roman squeezed him tight, kissed his cheek then released him.

"Thank you. Thank you Punk." He took Punk's hand in his and held on despite the other man's attempts to pull away.

"And like I told Jon upstairs… it was no problem."

_"_ _Because I'm in love with your sub and was ready to spend the rest of my life with him," thought Punk bitterly._

Roman could see a hint of something in his best friend's eyes and it made him a little uncomfortable. Choosing to ignore the implications of that for now, he told Bray and Punk about what happened before and after Ryback showed up.

"You boys sure have been through a lot," comment Bray with a shake of his head. "What's your next step?"

Roman sighed and settled back among the flat pillows. "Doc says I need surgery but have to wait at least a week for the swelling to go down. I've got an ocular blow out fracture apparently." He frowned remembering the sadistic bastard that injured him.

"You guys can stay at my place while you wait for surgery," offered Punk automatically. Only after the words left his mouth did he realize just how painful that was going to be.

Roman seemed to sense this. "Are you sure?" he asked.

"It's fine, man." Punk shrugged in a way he hopped was nonchalantly.

"Because Bray already offered to let us-"

"I said it's _fine_!" snapped Punk. "Seriously, it's cool."

Roman and Bray exchanged looks. Bray had given Reigns a brief summary about what Punk and Seth went through when they arrived at the hospital last night. Although he didn't tell the Samoan just how Punk reacted to the news that he was alive. That would have been awkward and unnecessarily hurtful to reveal.

In that moment of strained silence the door to the examining room burst open as Ryback stormed in, apparently stressed. He was talking on the phone to someone but told them to hold on so that he could speak to the other men in the room.

"I've got Patrick on the line," he said.

Roman gave the bald man a considering look. "Is that the new inductee you were telling me about? The one you weren't sure was tough enough?"

Ryback nodded. "Yeah, he and Gabriel just gave me the rundown on the bodies they dumped. Every single one of them was armed and appeared to be mercenaries."

Roman frowned. "So what are you saying?"

"I'm saying that that fucker Sandow was nowhere among them. I think he got away, man."

A low growl sounded in Roman's throat and Punk cursed repeatedly under his breath.

"What do you want me to do?" asked Ryback.

Punk answered even though the question was directed at Roman. "I'll take care of it. Just tell those two to finish up and head back here." He was practically out the door before he finished that sentence.

Ryback raised an eyebrow. "You sure?"

"I said I'll fucking handle it!" shouted Punk as the door closed behind him.

Bray turned to Roman. "You're just going to let him go?"

Roman sighed. "There's no talking to him when he gets like that. Just take me upstairs. I need to see Seth."


	14. Let Me Give You My Life

Seth was still clinging to Dean when he heard the door to the room open. He looked up to see that it was Roman pushing another hospital bed into the already tight space. Seth unwrapped himself from around Dean to get a better look at his other Dom. Though smiling, the Samoan appeared to be in worse shape than Dean with large amounts of gauze over his eye, his face covered in bruises.

After Roman had the railings down and the bed locked into place he stripped, then climbed onto the empty one. Both Seth and Dean were sitting up and watching him. And he when he finally got settled, Seth instantly launched himself at him.

Roman chuckled as the younger man landed in his lap before kissing him deeply. Unsurprisingly, Seth's cheeks were wet, and Roman kissed the tears away before moving back to his lips. His mouth moved desperately over Seth's, growling as he tasted him. Roman's usual finesse was nowhere to be found as he owned the younger man's mouth completely. And Seth clung to his Dom, more than happy with this aggressive brand of affection.

"I love you baby," whispered Roman finally pulling back so they could both breathe. "I love you so much."

Seth smiled then and it was joyous. "I love you too."

Dean had propped himself up on his uninjured right arm to watch the reunion. As his sub and partner locked lips, Dean found himself inexplicably aroused. His dick hardened inside his borrowed hospital scrubs and he mentally cursed the fact that he had to keep his left arm immobile. He remembered the last time they all came so close to death… how they celebrated life by joining together in a new and totally satisfying way…

Dean was ready to repeat that performance from over a year ago. In a not quite fluid motion he pushed himself back to where he was on his knees and went to pull his pants down to mid thigh. His cock sprung free and he flicked the Prince Albert a couple of times and began stroking himself.

Roman was merely holding Seth to his chest when he finally saw what Dean was doing. He met the dirty blonde's eyes and smirked before his gaze drifted lower. Every stroke was slow and deliberate and Roman felt his dick get hard as he watched. Seth's head was resting on his chest and the Samoan tucked his chin so that he could kiss the pretty boy's forehead. Then he gripped Seth's throat, forcing him to look up and receive his kiss. As he dipped his tongue into the younger man's mouth, he reached down to grab Seth's hand and placed it where he needed it most.

Seth stopped kissing him abruptly and he tried to sit up. "Wha..?" He'd just been enjoying being with his Doms again that he did not see this bout of intense foreplay coming (nor the intentions behind it). His hand did close around Roman's length but it was automatic with no lust behind it.

Seth chewed on his bottom lip for a second, a strange kind of anxiety filling him.

_"_ _This doesn't feel right," he thought._

Still, he kissed the older man back when Roman attacked his lips once again. Their lip lock didn't last long though as an impatient Dean draped his entire body over top of Seth's suddenly knocking the wind out of both him and Roman and narrowly causing a dental emergency in the process.

Seth's breath left him in a startled whoosh while Roman cursed.

"Goddamn it Dean!" he said with a groan as he tried to get situated again.

Dean grinned, completely unrepentant. "Sorry."

Seth let go of Roman's dick so that he was supporting himself on his hands as the man beneath him shifted. He was staring down into Roman's face and the damage to the handsome man gave him at least a small clue about what must have happened after Punk came to his rescue.

Before he could ponder that more, he felt Dean behind him, the older man going to work yanking his pants down and off. Seconds later he could feel Dean's pierced hardness as the blonde began thrusting against his backside rhythmically, his dick sliding in between his cheeks. Seth hissed between his teeth at the sensation but he wasn't overly enjoying it.

Roman was plucking the skin of the younger man's neck now with his lips and teeth, specifically targeting his barely there scars. He let out a pleased growl when Seth wriggled against him. Dean continued to pump his hips against his ass, muttering under his breath about how good it felt and how it would feel even better to be inside him. Seth was trembling due to all of this but was torn about what to do and how he was feeling.

Still unaware of their sub's growing internal conflict, Roman murmured against his neck. "Dean… get the lube."

Dean didn't bother stopping what he was doing to answer him. " Unh… Fuck… don't want to… I'm ready to cum all over his ass right now." He peered over top Seth's head to give Roman a lecherous grin. "Then we'll have the lube we need."

Under different circumstances, Roman might have agreed with his less than sophisticated partner but he didn't want Seth unnecessarily hurt. He stopped sucking on Seth's adam's apple to say, "Look behind you, at the foot of the bed."

Eyebrow raised, Dean stopped and checked behind him. Sure enough there was a tube of KY jelly tucked between the sheets and the foot of the bed. He laughed as he picked it up and fumbled to single handedly squirt some on to his fingers.

Seth's whole body tensed. _"I don't want to do this…"_ He was not at all ready for what was about to happen but didn't want to disappoint his Doms. However, Roman was clued in to Seth's emotional state when Dean began probing his entrance. Unable to help it, an anxious whimper escaped his lips.

Roman heard this and immediately focused his eye on Seth's face. Having trouble seeing him from the awkward angle he was positioned in, he reached down to lift up Seth's chin. "What's wrong, pretty boy? Dean! Hold up, wait a minute."

The dirty blonde stopped immediately. "Huh? What is it?" He sat back on his knees. "Was I hurting you, Seth? Shit! Pretty boy, I'm sorry." He wiped his hand free of the lube with the sheets so that he could comfort his sub by rubbing his lower back gently.

Roman was eyeing the younger man carefully. "Answer us, Seth. What's wrong, baby?" To Roman's complete surprise, Seth's eyes welled with tears. "Oh shit…" He clutched Seth to his chest, feeling like an incredible asshole for not noticing his sub's distress earlier. "It's okay, pretty boy. I promise we're not mad."

Hearing this Dean moved out from behind Seth and rolled onto the other bed, taking care not to jostle his injured arm. He could see the younger man clearly now, worrying his bottom lip with his teeth, eyes wet and Dean too, felt like an ass. He and Roman had been so focused on trying to make themselves feel better about their latest brush with death, so focused on getting inside Seth that their emotional needs and lust damn near eclipsed that of their sub.

Certainly not the caring and attentive Doms they should be.

Sitting up next to Roman, Dean reached out to brush a lock of hair behind Seth's ear. "Pretty boy, we need to know how you're feeling. Always. Now tell us what's wrong."

Seth closed his eyes, not quite sure what it was he was feeling. But the second his lids shut the sensation of thin lips with a ring in the corner ghosted insistently over Seth's mouth. The feeling was so strong he almost reached out for Punk as if he were lying with him and not his Doms. Fingers trailed over his cheek and Seth opened his eyes to see that it was Dean still trying to coax an answer out of him.

Seth bit down on his lower lip and averted his gaze. Was he disappointed that Punk wasn't there?

 _"_ _What_ is _wrong with me?"_

"Punk…"

Dean kept his gaze trained on Seth's face but really wanted to exchange a glance with Roman. Even though he didn't he could feel the other man's eyes on him.

"What about Punk, Seth?"

_"_ _Why did I just say that?" thought Seth sorrowfully. He couldn't even figure out what was going on in his own head in regards to CM Punk, especially not after the kiss they shared this morning._

"I – uh… Umm… Did uh… Punk tell you that I drowned?" _That_ certainly wasn't something Seth ever planned to bring up but he definitely wasn't ready to talk about the new intimacy between him and Punk yet.

Roman and Dean froze. They exchanged a pain filled glance then brought their attention back to their sub. Dean couldn't speak so he went back to stroking the younger man's cheek.

After several long moments of strained silence eventually Roman said, "No baby, he didn't." He swallowed thickly as a sudden fear sent ice through his heart. He squeezed Seth tightly and felt Dean join in on the embrace. It was terrifying to think just how close their pretty boy came to death. And it was all their fault when they got right down to it. Trying to force themselves on their sub when the only thing he wanted, no _needed_ from them was love and comfort was the icing on the proverbial shit cake.

Nothing else was said. The threesome just clung to each other and fell asleep as all the stress and exhaustion finally caught up with them.

**P**

Punk had spent practically the last 24 hours coming up with a plan to acquire and subsequently put an end to Damien Sandow. He had tried doing things Jon and Leakee's way but none of it worked (to put it mildly). But this new plan, this new process was going to take some time but he was just oh so looking forward to it.

It was nearly 6am the next day when he finalized the details and got just about everything together that he would need.

All that was left was to say goodbye.

In an attempt to unwind before the difficulties that lay ahead, Punk stripped and climbed into the shower. As much as he liked the one in his impromptu loft apartment in the city, the one at his true home was much more to his tastes.

As the near scalding water beat down on top of his head, Punk couldn't help but replay that kiss he shared with Seth yesterday. Ignoring the fact that he'd initiated it when the princess was asleep, Punk couldn't stop thinking about the younger man's response once he awoke and overcame his shock. Seth had kissed him back. Eagerly even. It seemed unbelievable that the princess held any kind of attraction towards him but there was the proof.

Or was it?

_"_ _He thought his Doms were dead. You took advantage of a scared and vulnerable man…"_

Punk violently shook his head as if to shake loose the negative thoughts.

_"_ _No… No! It wasn't like that! I needed him and he needed me. Please! Please… Just let me have this…"_

_"_ _You don't deserve it. You don't deserve him! And you_ can't _have him…"_

The argument Punk was having in his head was making him crazy. Frowning, he grabbed the soap and began angrily washing his body. He just wanted to put aside his emotions for the moment. He had to prepare, mentally and physically.

He had work to do.

Some 45 minutes later Punk was out of the shower, clean and dry and getting dressed. He put on one of his favorite pairs of well worn jeans and a t-shirt and sneakers. He chose to be comfortable because nothing would disguise the fact that he looked and felt like shit. Punk hadn't slept since a couple days before everything hit the fan and only ate enough to function up until Seth was kidnapped. How could he expect to eat or sleep now?

There was just so much to do.

Food was the last thing on his mind and sleep wasn't even on the radar.

When Punk arrived at the hospital it was past noon. He wasn't surprised to see Bray Wyatt milling around the lobby, clearly waiting for him.

Bray kept his eyes on Punk, watching the younger man's approach. He had serious bags under his eyes and he seemed a bit pale even under the colorful artwork of tattoos. Punk looked terrible and Bray was worried, in particular because the rest of the boys were being discharged today.

Wyatt reached out a hand to grip Punk's shoulder. "Are you good? Can you handle this?"

The inked man shrugged. "Let's just get them and get out of here."

Bray raised an eyebrow at that. He wanted to prod him a little bit more but was well aware of an imminent shutdown and decided it was best left alone for now. Sighing he gave Punk's shoulder a comforting squeeze before going to the front desk to let them know they were ready to pick up Jon, Leakee and Seth.

About 15 minutes later they spotted the guys getting off the elevator. They were seated in wheelchairs being pushed by three orderlies. Leakee looked somewhat better, his bruises having faded a bit and the swelling in his face having gone down. He smiled when he saw Punk but it was cautious. Dean was clearly annoyed at being in a wheelchair and was vocally complaining about it despite now being at the front door. His arm was still in a sling and bandaged but he didn't appear to be in any pain. Seth who physically wasn't any worse for the wear seemed rather weary and rundown. When he spotted Punk he avoided the inked man's gaze, shifting around in his wheelchair anxiously. Punk's shoulders slumped and he went to make a hasty exit.

"I'm going to go get the van," he announced quietly. He held his hand out and Bray tossed him a set of keys.

Roman frowned. "Why is he going to get your van?"

"Because it's the only way to transport you all comfortably. The only vehicle Punk has that's large enough is the humvee and he didn't think you would want to climb in and out of that monstrosity."

Roman glanced at Dean who shrugged. It's not like he was wrong. A few minutes later Punk arrived at the front door with the van. The orderlies who were still standing dutifully behind the three men's chairs started pushing them outside. After they were all seated inside the van Punk handed his car keys to Bray.

Dean was about to cross his arms then huffed remembering the sling. "You're not coming? I thought you promised to cook for us?" He was perilously close to pouting and it made Roman laugh. Even Seth couldn't help but smile.

Bray chuckled. "And I will, but I need to go back to the shop and take care of a few things. I'll be there later, boys. I promise."

Dean mumbled a reply under his breath as Bray slid the side door shut. Punk gave a half-hearted wave to the bearded man before driving away.

The four men rode in strained silence all the way to Punk's house. After parking on the driveway, the inked man got out and opened the side door so that his friends could exit the vehicle. One by one they trudged into the house, each wanting to break the silence but not really knowing how. They found themselves wandering into the living room with Roman and Dean collapsing onto the sofa and Seth sitting down gingerly between them. Punk eyed the threesome for a moment, painfully aware of how the princess refused to make eye contact with him. Needing to get out of sight before he said or did something rash, he made a vague gesture to their surroundings.

"Well… you guys know where everything is. I stopped at the store yesterday so there's plenty of food. The master bedroom is yours. I'm going to head down into the bunker to get some stuff done. Bray will probably be here to cook dinner so don't stress about making something yourselves." That said Punk turned on his heel and headed back into the kitchen.

Roman and Dean shared a glance over top of Seth's head. They knew that whatever Punk was doing in the bunker had to do with Sandow and they needed to know what. Split second decision made, Roman got up quickly from his seat in order to catch Punk before he went down there and locked them out.

Thankfully he managed to catch up to Punk in the garage.

"Wait, Punk!"

Sighing the tatted man turned around to face his friend. "Did you need something, Leakee?" He sounded tired and bitchy even to himself.

Roman squinted at him. Punk being moody was nothing new but he was looking worse than usual. "How long has it been since you slept?"

Punk chewed on his lip ring for a second. "Probably three or four days. There's been a lot going on."

Unsure if that was supposed to be a joke Roman brushed the last comment aside. "You look like hell, man. Come back inside. You need to get some fucking sleep."

Punk shook his head. "I can't. I've got shit to do. But if I get the urge, I can just crash down there."

"What _are_ you doing anyway?"

Punk frowned. "You know what I'm doing. I'm making sure that Sandow can't fuck up your lives anymore than he already has."

Roman looked over his shoulder but neither Seth nor Dean was in sight. "Then you should also know that Dean and I want to be a part of this! Don't shut us out!"

Fists clenched at his sides, Punk glared at Reigns. "Will you fucking forget about Sandow! That piece of shit is my problem now. _You_ just worry about Seth!"

Roman stared at his best friend; thrown by emotion he saw swimming in his eyes. The Samoan felt some of the earlier tension leave him.

"Why didn't you tell us that Seth actually drowned?" he asked quietly.

Punk's fists unclenched and he looked down at the ground. "What would that have accomplished? Huh, Leakee? Me telling you that would have changed nothing except to make you and Jon feel like shit. Seth's alive. That should be all that matters."

Before Roman had the chance to respond, Punk was already climbing down into the bunker and slamming the hatch shut behind him.

Time passed slowly for the three men in the house. They spent the majority of it in the living room not doing much talking just silently enjoying each other's company. And like Punk mentioned, Bray Wyatt came by in the early evening to fix them dinner. As the only one not seriously injured Seth even helped the older man in the kitchen, happy to be serving his Doms if only in a minor way.

After dinner when Bray was cleaning up the kitchen, Roman came in to talk to him. He bumped into a chair on his way to the sink and cursed. Only being able to use one eye had his depth perception all screwed up. He sincerely hoped that his vision wouldn't be permanently impaired.

Bray didn't look up from the dish in his hand. "You should be in bed."

"Did you take a plate to Punk? Has he eaten yet?" Roman sat down heavily at the table, waiting for an answer.

Bray set the dish he was holding in the rack and picked up another from the shrinking pile in the sink. "Yes and I don't know. You know how he is. Once he gets focused on something everything else takes a backseat."

Roman put a hand to his temple, a headache starting just behind his eyes. "Has he told you what he's planning? He shut me down quick when I asked."

The bearded man shook his head. "He wouldn't say. And son, let me tell you… it's been years since I've seen him consumed like this. I'm worried about him."

"Me too."

Bray turned around to face Roman. "Look, why don't you boys go to bed. You need to rest. I'll stay here tonight and talk to Punk once he comes up."

Roman nodded and got up from the table. There was nothing any of them could do until Punk showed his face.

**S**

_"Let me let you in on a little secret young Mr. Rollins. Even if I hadn't been hired by Sandow to take those two men you love out before they could enact their revenge, I would have tracked you three down anyway." His eyes went hard suddenly and Seth couldn't help but flinch._

_"You killed my mates and damn near crippled me." Cesaro leaned even closer so that his lips were next to Seth's ear. "I… owe… you… for… that…" he whispered. The bald man pulled back so that he was squatting in front of Seth, watching his reaction; studying it._

Seth tossed and turned between his Doms as he was forced to relive those horrifying moments in the warehouse while he dreamed.

_Kevin Owens laughed as he dragged the helpless man to the edge of the dock. Outside the warehouse the storm raged all around them, kicking up massive waves from the river's black waters. Once at the edge, he turned the chair around so that he was facing the younger man, tilting his chair backwards towards the river. The fear he saw in Seth's eyes was genuine and potent._

_Seth shook his head frantically. Terror enveloped him completely. He didn't want to die. He didn't want his Doms to die._

Seth screamed and his hands flew to his mouth and throat as he struggled to breathe.

Roman and Dean woke up instantly and immediately went to work trying to calm their sub.

Reigns grabbed Seth's hands and forced them down at his sides while Dean tried to rouse him.

"Wake up, pretty boy! You're here, with us. Seth! _Seth!_ "

After a little shake from Dean, Seth's eyes popped open. He gasped for breath, trembling as he tried to get a grip on reality. No, he wasn't drowning. Yes, he was alive and with his Doms. And as the dream faded away, as his Doms began cuddling and kissing him to keep him calm… something else remained.

"Why didn't you tell me about Sandow?" Seth felt the trembles in his voice but he knew he was understood in how Ambrose and Reigns stiffened above him.

Roman brushed some of Seth's hair back off his sweat damp forehead. "We were trying to protect you, baby. We had hoped that we would take care of everything without you ever knowing."

"We know it didn't work out the way we wanted," added Dean. That was the understatement of the year but that went without saying. "We're sorry, pretty boy."

Seth looked between the two men. "What about Punk? Why didn't he say anything?"

Dean fought not to roll his eyes. Roman answered the question instead. "He wanted to, Seth. But we warned him not to."

"And for what?" Seth questioned his voice tight. "We all almost _died_!"

Both Roman and Dean were taken aback by the sudden explosion of anger from their sub. They expected depression; they expected panic attacks and sleepless nights. But anger was a complete surprise.

Seth struggled to sit up then, his anger turning into a bitter rage. "It was you! You almost killed _us_! You two almost destroyed what we had!"

Dean's entire body went rigid and Roman's head turned to the side like he'd been slapped. Never in the time they'd been together had Seth ever shouted at them. Ever. The two Doms were stunned into silence by his tirade.

"You two can't protect me!" Seth went on, glaring at the two men in bed with him. "You've never been able to keep me safe! I hate you! I hate what you've done to us, what you've put us through!"

The tears came at last and Seth tumbled out of bed before running out of the bedroom. Dean and Roman watched him go, neither man able to move, hardly able to breathe. Their pretty boy's words had just ripped them to shreds.

In the darkened bedroom, Dean sniffled. Slowly he met Roman's mournful gaze.

"Fuck…"

**P**

Punk had managed to sleep for a couple of hours. It was enough to function on at least. He purposefully waited until dark to climb out of his bunker however he wasn't surprised to find Bray Wyatt waiting for him in the kitchen. The older man said nothing; he just took a plate out of the oven and set it down on the table.

Punk gave him a wry grin but sat down and began to eat. "This is good, man," he said after taking in a few forkfuls.

Bray flicked his hair back. "I need to know what you're up to Punk."

The tatted man shook his head before taking another bite. "I can't tell you Bray. If I tell you, you'll tell _them_ , and they'll try to stop me."

Bray's eyes widened at that. Punk's plan must be a doozy if he was worried about them intervening.

"Look, just give me a week. In a week I'll tell you some of what's going on. Swear." Punk gave the older man his most charming smile which might have been more effective he weren't so damn exhausted.

Bray gave Punk a nod of acceptance before getting up and heading upstairs to one of the guest rooms.

Punk finished his meal in silence then got up and took his plate to the sink to wash and dry it. As he did so, he took a mental note of everything in this room. He was going to miss his custom built home, especially since he didn't know how long he was going to be away.

A loud thump sounded overhead and Punk looked towards the ceiling despite not being able to see anything. Seconds later he heard footsteps coming down the steps and headed for the kitchen. Shoulders tense, Punk turned around slowly to find himself face to face with Seth Rollins.

The princess looked as if he'd been crying, his face was flush and his eyes were wet. He stared at Punk, making eye contact with him for the first time since that episode in his hospital room. His gaze was raw and Punk was unsure what it was the younger man was feeling.

"Umm, how are you?" An awkward question but well meaning at least.

Seth shrugged helplessly. "I don't know anymore."

Punk gestured towards the hallway. "Well, maybe more sleep would help?" He didn't want to seem like he was shooing Seth away even though that's exactly what he was doing.

Seth shook his head but took another step closer to Punk.

And another.

And another.

Soon they were inches from each other. Punk had gone completely stiff, still not able to read the man in front of him. Pretty soon he didn't have to. Seth closed the distance between them and wrapped his arms around Punk's waist before laying his head on his chest. Slowly the inked man relaxed and brought his arms up around Seth. They stood that way silently for some time, giving comfort and receiving it.

"Can we still go to Spain?" murmured Seth against his chest.

Punk's breath hitched in his throat and for a second he couldn't answer.

"Sorry," he said finally. "I had to exchange those tickets for new ones."

Seth squeezed Punk tighter. "Where are you going?"

"To take care of some important business." Punk could feel the urge to kiss the princess spreading throughout his body and he tried to fight it. "I'll be gone for a while but I'll be back."

Seth looked up into his face then, feeling some strange sort of anxiety for the tatted man. He was worried and didn't know why. But he felt something else and it was making him warm all over. Seth found himself staring at Punk's lips, watching as the older man wet them nervously and flicked the ring in the corner of his mouth. Seth knew what it was like to have those lips against his and he wanted to feel it again.

Punk was beyond shocked when the princess initiated the kiss. It was frantic and hard, full of desperation. Punk squeezed Seth so tightly to him that the younger man exhaled a needy moan that went straight to Punk's groin. His tongue delved into Seth's mouth, slick and wet, pleased that he was kissing him back so fervently.

Seth could feel Punk's hardness pressing into his belly and it sent a thrill of arousal and fear straight through him. This was dangerous, so totally dangerous. He still loved Roman. He still loved Dean. But this?

He thought he might love Punk too.

Punk pulled back first, ending their intense makeout with a final soft sweet peck to Seth's lips. He watched his face, worried he might see disgust or even shame. All he saw was peace, wonder and something he couldn't determine. Sighing he turned to look at the clock.

"I have to go," whispered Punk. He was loathe to break the spell between them but it was time to leave.

Seth nodded sadly and took a step back. Punk gave him a lopsided smile, chucked Seth under his chin then walked out of the kitchen and into the garage. Seth heard a vehicle start and stood there listening as it drove away. A minute later he heard someone coming into the kitchen, stopping to stand next to him. It was Bray. He draped an arm across the younger man's shoulders.

"He's gone, isn't he?"

Seth leaned into Bray's embrace. "Yeah, he's gone."


	15. Drain The Whole Sea

The flight was eight hours. Punk wanted to sleep. He was desperate to. He would meet his contact as soon as he landed. There wasn't much time to prepare, to orient himself before he had to go to work. But the only thing he could think about right now was Seth. The princess was buried so far beneath his skin, imbedded so deep in his mind, so completely entrenched in his every thought that Punk simply couldn't focus on anything else.

Every time he closed his eyes it was like he was back home in his kitchen with Seth Rollins in his arms. Every time he took a breath he could hear the princess asking to go to Spain with him. He could almost feel his body pressed against his. And every time he licked his lips he could taste Seth on them.

CM Punk was unequivocally in love with Seth Rollins.

He could finally admit that to himself at least.

And that was why he had to leave. Punk wanted to make sure that this final ghost from Seth's past would be eradicated. He wanted the princess to finally be able to relax and breathe; to exist without fear. Punk wanted that for him so badly; even at the expense of his own peace of mind and maybe his life.

His friends deserved this as well.

Jon and Leakee were a package deal and Punk, jealous though he was of his best friends, was happy that they would be able to be there for Seth without having to fight any more battles for him. They more than earned this break as far as Punk was concerned. Seth had come into their lives with trouble practically branded on his perfect ass and Leakee and Jon did everything in their power to show him love and to keep him protected. Even by bringing their long time friend into their seemingly perpetual shit storm.

Punk could curse them for that. But he was already having a hard time accepting just how devastated he was to find that they survived their latest brush with death. He had been planning a future together with Seth and to have the rug suddenly pulled out from under him was maddening.

_"_ _God dammit…"_

It still hurt to think about it. Punk wondered if he would ever get over it.

While Punk hoped his plan would go off without a hitch; if he died while making sure that it went smoothly and while Sandow paid for his crimes… well… that might be the only way to get some true relief from the permanent ache beneath his ribs. Sighing deeply, Punk rubbed at his chest, directly over his heart as he shut his eyes.

**S**

It was two days after Punk left and Seth still wasn't speaking to his Doms.

At first it was hard. Whenever he left the sanctity of the guest bedroom that he moved into that fateful night, either Dean or Roman would corner him and try to force him to talk to them. Seth wasn't trying to hear anything they said though and he made that abundantly clear by clamping his hands over his ears, yelling at them to shut up and to leave him alone over and over while he slid down to the floor. After multiple episodes of this Bray Wyatt decided enough was enough and stepped in, running interference and blocking any attempt by Roman and Dean to interact with Seth.

Roman reluctantly had backed off, turning away with his head down and shoulders slumped. On the other hand when Bray had to block Dean from aggravating Seth, the dirty blonde tried to jump him. After that Bray had one of his 'brothers', Erick Rowan come stay with him at Punk's house for a few days to help him keep the peace. The red bearded man seldom spoke and was much less likely to hit back if provoked unlike their other 'brother' Luke Harper.

On this particular day Seth was taking a walk in the woods behind Punk's house doing the only thing he knew how to do, think. So similar to the last time he and his Doms were here, Seth just felt lost and utterly alone.

Sighing, Seth fingered the collar at his throat while he walked through the brush. It was a lovely day, the sun shining bright overhead while a fresh breeze came off the unseen (yet nearby) lake. He should be with his Doms right now, laughing and loving them and helping them to heal. But he held so much anger inside that he just couldn't be with them yet.

Seth knew it wasn't fair for him to be treating his Doms like this. He just felt… betrayed by them somehow. Dean and Roman essentially went to war with Damien Sandow and kept him totally in the dark! And in the end Seth's ignorance about the operation put _all_ of them in mortal danger.

Seth was pulling on the collar now, his frustration growing as he continued to think about all the shit they went through over the last week. And to top it all off Punk was still gone.

Granted he didn't tell Seth just how long he would be away for but it hurt that he wasn't around. After they'd all faced Hunter last year, Seth had grown quite fond of the surly older man. And it became clear that the feeling was mutual in that Punk had gifted him a CB radio so they could keep in touch.

Seth's hand fell away from his collar as his mind suddenly flashed on the first time Punk kissed him, that sunny afternoon in his garage over a year ago. Just remembering that gentle press of lips against his throat sent a tingle down Seth's spine. That second kiss in the hospital was just as unexpected and just as sweet despite the fact that at the time he'd been reeling from the apparent death of his Doms. When he awoke and overcame his shock he had found himself enjoying it and feeling extremely guilty because he did. Finding out that Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose were alive not a minute after such a kiss had thrown Seth's mind into a tailspin.

But that third kiss? He'd initiated that one and at the time neither of his Doms had been on his mind. It was about Punk, about how much he'd come to care for the older man and how he was starting to crave his touch in the way that he craved Roman and Dean.

Sighing deeply, Seth wondered about his future and whether or not Punk could be a part of it.

"Maybe… if we'd gone to Spain… Maybe I would have told him that I-"

"Punk will come back."

The sudden voice behind him startled Seth so badly that he yelped, whirling around with his hand on his chest.

"Damn it, Bray! You scared the hell out of me!" Seth shook his head, looking down at the ground, willing his racing heart to slow. How could a man his size sneak up on anyone?!

Wyatt gave a small smile. "Sorry. I thought you heard me." Bray cocked his head to the side, studying Seth. "And I meant what I said, son. Punk always comes back."

The younger man stared at him for a long moment. "Why did he leave?"

Bray raised an eyebrow. "He didn't tell you?"

Picking at a piece of lint on his shirt, Seth shook his head.

"Well…" started Bray, thinking on his feet. "Punk didn't tell me either, son. He's supposed to contact me in a few days though."

Bray saw his face fall and breathed a silent sigh of relief. Apparently nobody told Seth that Damien Sandow was still alive. He didn't know how Seth would handle that news though poorly was Bray's guess. But that wasn't what Bray came out here to talk to him about.

"Listen, Seth. You've got to talk to Roman and Dean." He watched the younger man turn away from him to scowl at the ground. Mumbling a little under his breath, Bray reached out and grabbed Seth's wrists, yanking him towards him. Wide brown eyes met his then, defiant and angry.

"Seth, I've done my best to make them give you some time. But you all can't keep on like this. All three of you need to sit down and have a serious talk."

A few silent moments went by and Seth finally relaxed in his grip. He stared at Bray for a second then looked off in the direction of the house. "We almost died, Bray. We almost died because they didn't tell me what the fuck was going on!"

Wyatt sighed then, loosening his grip on Seth's wrists to rub up and down on his arms. "I know, son. But you're alive. So are they. It's time to let that anger go."

Slowly Seth nodded. "Okay… Okay."

**D&R**

"I don't give a shit about timetables! We were in a fucking accident! That's why I'm just now calling you!"

Roman and Dean were on their way back to Punk's house after leaving the hospital for a checkup and a couple of x-rays. Erick Rowan was their driver and somehow he managed to stay focused on the road while Dean continued to yell at his and Roman's assistant Lana on the phone.

"No! We won't be back for at least another week. Don't act like we don't have a fuckton of sick days…." He paused for a moment, waiting for Lana to finish fussing at him. "Fine. Just do it." Dean paused again, and then chuckled. "Ask us for a raise again when we come back." Then he ended the call.

Roman side eyed his partner. "You didn't have to yell at her like that."

Dean closed his eyes and rubbed at his temple with his uninjured hand. "I know… I've just got a bad fucking headache."

They were silent the rest of the drive to Punk's house. And when they arrived, neither man said anything as they trudged inside. There was this dark oppressive cloud over them because their relationship with Seth was broken. Their sub had shunned each and every attempt by them to rectify the problem. And it was torture, pure torture for the pretty boy to be so angry with them.

Thinking that Seth was locked inside the guestroom, Roman and Dean seemed to silently agree that they would wait inside the master bedroom for a bit before attempting to talk to him again. So it was a complete shock to find Seth sitting on the edge of king sized bed already waiting on them.

Ambrose and Reigns stopped just inside the door, staring at Seth who stared right back. A few tense seconds ticked by before the two Doms came all the way into the room with Roman shutting the door behind them.

Roman approached him first, slowly, each step cautious until he was inches away from the younger man. He got down on his knees before him and took Seth's hands in his, squeezing them. Roman felt Dean at his back. He watched Seth look between the two of them, his face blank, unreadable.

Taking a deep breath, Roman began with what he'd rehearsed in his head days ago. "Baby… when all the shit with Sandow started you were in a good place in your life. You were doing well at work, making new friends and going above and beyond as our sub. You were so damn happy and hadn't had a nightmare in months. You had finally gotten over all that Hunter shit…."

Roman and Dean watched Seth's face carefully. It had softened quite a bit though he flinched when Hunter's name was mentioned.

"So we tried like hell to keep you out of the incoming shitstorm. We just wanted our pretty boy to be happy." Roman was rubbing small circles with his thumbs on top of Seth's hands now. He could feel him relaxing by degrees.

Dean took his hand off Roman's shoulder and sat next to Seth on the bed. Roman followed suit, releasing Seth's hands so that he could sit on the other side of him. Dean cupped the younger man's chin in his hand and turned his face towards his.

"Listen to me, pretty boy. Are you listening?"

Seth's wide eyes were fixed on his. He swallowed thickly and nodded.

"As your Doms, our job is to protect you, physically _and_ emotionally. _That_ was why we didn't tell you about Sandow." Ambrose could see understanding in their subs eyes finally and he leaned forward for a kiss. It was a short, sweet press of lips.

Roman watched them with a small smile on his face. He was beyond happy that Seth seemed to understand where they were coming from. When Dean released Seth, Roman squeezed his thigh to get his attention.

"Now, the revenge admittedly was more for us than you," said Roman quietly. "But all the same, we did everything we could to protect your mind and soul as well as your body."

Seth was quiet for a moment, reflecting on what he was just told. It all made sense, he couldn't argue against any of it. He still hated that they kept him in the dark but now he could at least understand why.

"I love you," he whispered so softly they almost didn't hear him. "I love you and I'm sorry." He looked from Dean's face to Roman's. "I shouldn't have questioned you. I shouldn't have shut you out. I'm so sorry…"

Seth didn't know why he started crying. But soon they were comforting him, kissing him, holding him close, whispering just how much they loved him and wanted him to be happy. All three men soon found themselves lying in bed. Seth lay in between Roman and Dean feeling a different kind of anxiety but unwilling to shatter his Doms' calm. Ambrose and Reigns, relieved at Seth's seeming acceptance, linked arms across his body holding each other as well as him while they drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

But Seth couldn't sleep. He stared at the closed bedroom door and waited.

And waited.

And waited.

And waited.

**P**

Punk did manage to sleep fitfully for a couple of hours during the flight. His dreams were plagued with visions of Seth. Of him pulling his lifeless body from the river; of him dragging him away from the warehouse; of him comforting him in the hospital; of holding him… kissing him… Over and over on constant repeat these images played behind his eyes as he slept till Punk finally awoke with a gasp, his hands twitching and his body drenched in sweat.

Punk chose to stay awake after that.

When the plane landed and he followed the crowd of passengers into the terminal, Punk didn't bother taking in the sights. He simply grabbed his one bag and worked his way to the customs area. After his passport was stamped and his bag was cleared he figured out where he needed to go and very quickly made his way. He soon found himself face to face with his contact.

Seeing him Punk felt a smile form on his face. It wasn't a nice smile, more a baring of teeth really.

"It's good to see you again, Regal."

The tall, distinguished looking older gentleman looked him over before returning the grin. Only his eyes held the true propensity for violence the man was capable of.

He reached out a hand for the younger man to shake. "Likewise." His demented smile grew even wider. "Welcome to London."

**S**

Over a week had passed since Punk left his friends to do who knows what. And in that time, although Seth and his Doms' relationship was on the mend, the younger man was having trouble sleeping. Concerned about his welfare, Reigns and Ambrose got one of the doctors at the hospital to prescribe their pretty boy some sleeping pills. They appeared to be working but the side effects were quickly becoming a nuisance.

Often times because Bray only slept a few hours a night, he would be the one to find Seth, asleep and standing by the front door as if waiting for something (or someone). In those cases, Wyatt would simply steer the younger man back to the bedroom with his Doms. He typically wouldn't sleepwalk more than once a night.

The last time though, he had found Seth in the garage, standing next to the hatch leading to Punk's bunker. It was then that Bray realized he couldn't keep Seth in the dark any longer. Sighing, he grabbed the younger man and steered him into the kitchen. He sat him down in a chair and began trying to wake him up. In the end he wound up slapping him. It was enough. Seth awoke with a strangled gasp before looking around in confusion. When his gaze finally settled on Bray he frowned at the bearded man.

"Bray…?" Seth rubbed at his eyes, blinking rapidly trying to get his bearings. "Shit. I did it again didn't I? Did I wake everyone up again?"

Bray shook his head. "No, son. I'm pretty sure they're still asleep. Dean would've knocked my lights out for slapping you." That last was said matter-of-factly and with no trace of humor. But it didn't stop Seth from chuckling.

Wyatt reached into his back pocket and pulled out a folded up piece of paper before sitting down across from Seth. He turned it over in his hands a few times, trying to figure out how to say what he needed to say.

"Seth," he began. "Punk wrote to me a couple of days ago. He said that he was fine and not to worry about him."

Seth's eyes widened. He felt his heart racing at the sudden news. "Where is he?! Did he say when he was coming back?!"

Bray shook his head. "He didn't say. And I believe he doesn't know when he'll be back because he chose to send a letter instead of calling." He paused, seeing the disappointment and hurt cross the younger man's face.

"Listen, son. Punk asked a favor of you."

Rollins bit his lip then asked, "What is it?"

"He wants you to house sit for him. He purchased a condo in your city when he was helping with that whole mess you all were involved in and he's decided to keep it. But he'd like for you to kind of watch over the place, make sure everything's intact when he returns."

Seth nodded jerkily in a bid to keep the tears at bay. "Okay. I can do that." Before Wyatt could say anything else, he was already out of the kitchen and making his way back upstairs. Bray watched him go before shaking his head. What Bray didn't tell him was that the condo was to belong to Seth if Punk didn't come back.

When Seth walked back into the master bedroom he found that both Roman and Dean were up and looking for him. Dean had just finished checking the bathroom and Roman the closet. They stopped what they were doing instantly and went to him, able to see tears streaking his face in the moonlight.

Roman pulled Seth to him, hugging him tightly and they were both soon joined by Dean. They embraced for a long moment when Seth whispered something.

"What was that, pretty boy?" asked Roman after kissing his temple.

Dean rubbed soothing circles into Seth's lower back. "What do you need?"

"I need you… to punish me."

Not sure they heard him right both men leaned back so they could see his face.

"Say that again?" Dean loosened his grip on the two men but could feel how tense Roman had gotten.

Seth looked up at them both, his eyes wet yet determined.

"Punish me."


	16. A Sacrifice

"Why?"

Roman and Dean questioned their sub at exactly the same time, thrown by his unusual request.

Seth closed his eyes and all he could see was Punk's sad grin before he walked out of their lives over a week ago. Slowly he opened his eyes but looked away from his Doms, choosing to study the bedroom floor instead.

"Because… I deserve it." Seth took hold of Roman and Dean's hands, one of each in his, the grip tightening. "Please…" He looked up at them finally, his eyes wide and beseeching. "Punish me!"

Roman and Dean exchanged a look. For the past week their pretty boy had been compliant but distant. They had tried nearly everything to break him out of this… shell, this… self imposed prison that he was in.

Everything but this.

Maybe punishment was exactly what Seth needed from them.

Dean was slowly getting used to the idea as evident by the gleam in his eye and the impatient shifting from foot to foot. But Roman was hesitant. He wanted to know why Seth felt he deserved to be punished and said as much.

Holding the pretty boy's wide eyed gaze, he pushed down on Seth's shoulders, forcing him to his knees. Dean continued to shift at his side while Roman wiped a few tears from their sub's face.

"Why baby? Why do you deserve to be punished?"

Seth's mouth opened automatically to answer then he closed it. What could he say? That he kissed their best friend and now was missing the other man terribly? He belonged to them but couldn't stop thinking about Punk? No, saying those things would only hurt his Doms and despite the misgivings he still had regarding the Sandow situation, Seth couldn't bear the thought of purposely hurting them.

Seth swallowed audibly. "I ignored you two for days. I didn't talk to you or listen to you. I never should have done that. I know you've forgiven me but I still feel bad about it."

A lie that was rooted in truth. But that wasn't the root of his guilt. He hoped Ambrose and Reigns would buy that explanation though. He stared at them, saw that flickering change of expression on both of their faces and suddenly felt a flash of apprehension on the heels of his guilt.

Dean kept his eyes on the younger man on the floor, thought he could tell without looking that Roman's eyes were on him as if waiting on him to make the final decision. Ambrose cocked his head to the side and licked his lips. "Okay. You want us to punish you? Fine. Get on your feet then strip. We're going for a walk."

Bray Wyatt was still sitting in the kitchen with a piping hot mug of freshly brewed tea in his hands when he heard a chorus of footsteps coming down the stairs. His brows rose comically as he watched the three men cross the threshold to enter the kitchen. Roman and Dean were dressed similarly, shirtless but wearing loose fitting sweatpants and sneakers. But the youngest, Seth, was completely naked.

Wait… what?

"Umm… just where do you think you're going at this time of night?" asked Bray, setting his mug down on the table.

"Don't worry about it," drawled Dean with a smirk. "Just need to take care of something. Oh! And don't wait up, it could take a while."

Roman cosigned with, "Our sub is in need of a little _correction_. So we're going to take care of him."

Seth could feel himself blushing from the top of his head to the soles of his feet. The change in tone from his sweet caring Doms to the infamous 'Sirs' was often gradual but this time they practically Jekyll and Hyde'd him. Especially with how nonchalantly they were speaking to Bray about his impending punishment. It was dizzying. Anxious and embarrassed, he kept his eyes to the floor, not wanting to see the look on the bearded man's face.

Wyatt wasn't really sold on what was happening for a few reasons. He frowned as he eyed Roman's still healing face with gauze over his eye and Dean's arm in a sling. The frown deepened when he remembered Seth's reaction to the news about Punk. Not to mention, the young man was totally nude.

His frown deepened. "Do you have to do that now?"

"Yes, we do." Roman held up a finger telling Dean to wait while he wandered into the garage. A minute later he returned with a length of nylon rope. No telling where he got it or how he knew where to find it.

Wyatt rubbed at his beard worriedly. "You two are injured and your boy is _hurting_. I don't think that now is the time. Plus it's after 2 a.m."

Dean held up a hand. "Now is the perfect fucking time."

Nothing else was said as the three men left the house. They walked in a single file line past the tree line into the woods beyond Punk's home.

The night air was cool, just this side of chilly and Seth shivered. Goosebumps were breaking out all over his skin while small rocks and branches dug into the arches of his feet as he walked. He hissed as a particularly sharp stick jabbed into the sole of his foot and he stumbled. Neither Roman, nor Dean asked him if he was okay, they just kept walking. Seth could feel his anxiety ratcheting up and up and he struggled to keep up with his Doms. For the first time in a long time Seth wasn't thinking about Punk. His focus was on his Doms, on what they planned to do to him. His heart thudded beneath his ribs almost painfully.

_"_ _You asked for this…" he thought in a mild panic. "You deserve this…"_

After their twenty minute silent trek in the woods eventually they stopped. The moonlight overhead shined brightly, somehow sliding in between the thick canopy of leaves above them. There was just enough light to see each other but not clearly. Seth swallowed thickly, wanting desperately to see their faces, to get an idea for what they had in store for him. But his desire to obey was stronger and he kept his eyes to the ground. One of them, Dean, walked wide around him, positioning himself at Seth's back. He was close enough that Seth could feel the heat from his body.

The second Dean left his side Roman began scanning the area till he found what he was looking for. After a moment he said, "Hug the tree, pretty boy," he commanded, pointing out his selection.

Despite having asked for this, despite his need to please, Seth hesitated. Ambrose gave an irritated grunt before shoving Seth towards the tree. Rollins nearly fell, tripping over his own feet as he hustled to do as he was told. The bark dug into his flesh as he tried to wrap his arms around the trunk. And when his body was completely flush against the tree, the roughness of it against his dick upped his discomfort from mild to moderate and automatically he pushed his hips back in an attempt to alleviate the pressure.

Seth found that the tree was far too wide for him to lace his fingers together, let alone even touch. That didn't matter though because Roman instantly went to work binding his wrists together with the rope. When Seth was tied securely to the tree, Reigns took a step back so that he and Dean could admire and examine.

"I always forget just how good you are at that," murmured Dean as he walked around to get a look at Roman's rope work.

The Samoan made a sound of acknowledgment in his throat before walking away to search the nearby trees. Eventually he spied the perfect switch and snapped the branch right off. It was no thicker than his index finger but got narrower towards the tip. After stripping the branch of all its leaves, Reigns tested its weight by swinging it through the air. The whistling sound it made was more than satisfactory and he passed it off to Ambrose now at his side.

Dean raised an eyebrow and handed it back to his partner. "You first."

Roman took it and walked up to where their pretty boy was waiting. Even in the minimal light he could see just how tense Seth was. For a long moment Roman stood silently behind the sub, smacking the branch against his own thigh, watching Seth's reaction to the sound.

Smirking, he came closer so that he was less than a foot away.

"You sure you want this?"

Seth wet his lips, nodding even though the movement dragged his ear against the bark of the tree. "Ye-yes, Sir."

The words barely left his lips when Seth felt the first snap against his backside. The pain was sharp and immediate and the pretty boy's hips bucked, forcing his cock directly into the bark. Suddenly the pain was twofold and he cried out. Roman gave him no reprieve and began lashing him mercilessly, whipping the pretty boy all across his back, his buttocks, the back of his thighs…

There were tears running down Seth's face. He cried silently at first, the sharp sting of the switch against his backside evoking a more emotional than physical response. But as Reigns got his stride, as the hits became more unpredictable in speed and strength, the tears stopped. Seth could only grunt with the impact as a peaceful calm washed over him. The pain practically disappeared and a wonderful euphoria took its place.

It had been too long since Seth felt like this, completely unburdened.

Punk was no longer at the forefront of his mind.

Seth's only focus was the here and now, of serving his Doms, of giving all of himself to them.

The hits stopped.

Behind him, he could hear Roman breathing hard while Seth himself panted in time to the throb of his welts and wounds. Rollins groaned but it wasn't a pained noise. He shifted then groaned once more as his hardening member brushed up against the tree.

Dean had stood transfixed while Roman laid into their pretty boy. He had been content to watch, to enjoy the visual of the punishment being handed out. And by the end of it, his dick was rock hard. Ambrose moved to stand next to Reigns and saw that his partner was in a similar state.

It made him smile. But when he heard the obviously aroused moans from their sub, his smile got even bigger. Dean stepped up behind Seth and began ghosting his hands all over his heated flesh. Over top of the thin welts was some form of moisture, sweat or blood, Dean didn't know. Nor did he care.

Ambrose completely stepped into Seth, with his full body weight pressed against the younger man's back. He heard as well as felt Seth hiss then whimper and he chuckled darkly. Dean took a moment to shed the sling his arm was in, throwing it to the ground somewhere behind him. He slithered down Seth's back till he was on his knees, eye level with his ass. The dirty blonde laid gentle kisses all over each mound, loving the way the welts felt on his lips.

Seth could not keep silent. Low continuous moans started in his throat and he pushed his hips back as far as he could, desperate for more contact.

"Sir, please…" the words tumbled from his lips before he could stop them.

Dean grinned then, pleased that the pretty boy was responding like this. He glanced over his shoulder at Roman. He couldn't see the man's face but the huge tent he was pitching said it all. Dean brought his attention back to the tight, pert ass in front of his face. Ignoring the small pain in his arm, he spread Seth's cheeks wide, exposing his puckered hole and leaned in close before giving it a languorous lick. Ambrose felt Seth's entrance quiver against his tongue and it only encouraged him to start rimming him in earnest.

Behind them, Roman watched almost in awe of the sight. The dirty blonde wasn't usually a fan of eating ass, preferring to gag their sub on his dick most of the time but clearly something had gotten into him tonight. Riveted, Roman pulled his sweatpants down to mid thigh and slowly began fisting his dick.

Seth was no longer thinking at all. His entire being was pulsing with need. And when Dean finally stopped what he was doing, Seth whined loudly. Unable to move or do much else, he pushed his hips back as far as he could, then wiggled them, hoping to entice his Dom to continue. Instead he heard some rustling and shifting behind him then gave a startled gasp as once again Dean pressed into his body but this time it was flesh to flesh.

Ambrose skimmed his lips over the shell of Seth's ear, pleased when he felt the younger man shiver. Again he spread his ass cheeks only this time it was to slide his dick in between them. He felt as well as heard their sub moan but that wasn't enough; after that episode in the hospital he had to be sure.

"Do you want this?"

Seth's mouth went totally dry at the prospect of being fucked against this tree. Just the thought was fantastic and primal and for few seconds he struggled to form a coherent response.

Always impatient, Ambrose smacked Seth's right ass cheek hard, smirking at the resulting jump and hiss of pain.

"I asked you a question, sub." Dean licked the shell of Seth's ear now, coaxing a needy whimper from the younger man. "Do. You. Want. This?"

Finally able to respond, Seth cried out, "Yes! Yes, I want it!"

"What do you want, pretty boy?" Dean's dick was right at Seth's puckered entrance. Just one little push and he'd be inside him.

"I want you to fuck me! Please, Sir! I need you inside me!" Seth knew he was begging but he didn't care. At the moment, he was shameless.

Dean gave a triumphant smirk and slowly inched his way into their sub's tight heat. And when he was in to the hilt he moaned low and guttural.

At first it was almost too much for both of them. Dean pushed into Seth with no prep and with saliva as their only lube. The friction was intense and for Seth the burn was more painful than pleasurable. Dean almost pulled all the way out and spit generously on his dick before thrusting back home. That seemed to ease some of the friction and Dean instantly started to fuck Seth.

The night sounds surrounding them, crickets and small animals moving through the brush, the nearby creek, all of it served as background music to their sinful symphony. Dean's breath was hot on Seth's ear and he grunted with the force of his thrusts. Each snap of his hips was like an assault and their pretty boy could do nothing but take it. So focused on the brutal fucking that neither of them noticed when they were joined by Roman.

Tired of being left out, Roman moved to Dean's side wanting to watch his partner inside their sub. He jacked himself off over top of Seth's ass, wanting to cover his cheeks with his cum.

Dean felt his balls drawing up, could feel that molten lava in the pit of his stomach and knew he was close. He pistoned his hips faster, harder, desperate to reach his bliss.

"Rome… fuck! I'm so fucking close." Ambrose dug his fingers into Seth's hips, surely leaving bruises behind. "He's so goddamn tight…"

Roman bit his lip as he was close too. Not wanting either of them to finish before Seth, he reached down to grip their pretty boy's hard dick and swiftly started jacking him off. The younger man was practically hyperventilating as broken words and stammered curses left his lips.

"We're not gonna last, pretty boy." Roman gave his sweaty shoulder a lick. "Come on, baby… Cum for us, Seth…"

Seth went stiff, then gasped as his seed shot out coating his belly, Roman's hand and the tree. Dean pumped his hips a few more times, the fluttering of Seth's internal muscles bringing him to orgasm right after. Roman used the hand that was still slick with their sub's release to jack himself to completion, sending thick ropes of cum all over Seth's ass.

For a long, long moment, nobody said a word. The only sound was of the three men's panting and heavy breathing. Slowly, Dean pulled out of Seth and tucked himself back into his sweatpants. Roman did the same and went to work untying their sub.

Seth went completely limp once he was freed and Dean caught him effortlessly shifting so that he was cradling him in his arms. Feeling safe and content, Seth wrapped his arms around Dean's neck, snuggling into him. He felt Roman smoothing his damp hair back and he sighed.

"I love you," murmured Seth quietly. He sounded exhausted but blissful. "I love you both so much."

Roman and Dean grinned at each other. Clearly, all three of them needed this.

"I love you too, pretty boy."

"I love you, Seth."

A couple days later, Roman went in for the ocular surgery that which the surgeons said was a success. They said there was no signs of vision loss and that his healing time would be short. Seth and Dean were thankful for that, excited that their third would have no lasting damage after such a horrific injury. Dean's prognosis was just as good. And although he was fussed at by hospital staff for removing his sling early, they assured him that he would heal up just fine.

Bray wanted them to stay at Punk's home for a couple more days, worried that Roman and Dean might aggravate their injuries if they went back to the city so soon. They agreed but mostly because they just weren't ready to go back to work. In that time Bray couldn't help but notice all the positive changes in the three men. They were no longer walking on eggshells around each other. Seth in particular seemed more at ease and content although… every once in a while Bray would spy a depressed longing on the younger man's face that only seemed to appear whenever he was in the kitchen. His mind would clearly be somewhere else and Bray knew exactly whom he was thinking of.

On their last day, as Roman, Dean and Seth were preparing to leave, they were packing up their few belongings into a car that Ryback loaned them. Bray brought out a paper bag with a few sandwiches he had made them for the ride back.

Seth took the bag from him and peered inside. His face lit up with a huge grin when he spied the food. "Thanks, Bray! These look really good."

Wyatt smiled and hugged the younger man to him. "You're welcome. The top one is yours. Don't let Dean snatch it from you."

"I heard that!" snapped the dirty blonde as he slammed the trunk shut.

Seth laughed and returned Bray's hug. "Thank you, Bray. For everything."

Bray kissed his forehead then shooed him into the car. Before he let the younger man shut the door, he handed him a set of keys and a small slip of paper. "Here. These are the keys to Punk's condo in the city and here's the address." He watched as Seth's face dropped but he took the items anyway.

"You don't have to do this, you know," added Bray, his brow furrowed in worry. "I can send one of my brothers up there to check out the place every couple of months."

Seth shook his head. "No, it's fine. I want to do it." Sighing deeply he looked up to give Bray a reassuring smile. "Goodbye, Bray."

Bray patted his head through the window and turned to Roman and Dean who were arguing near the driver's side door. So as to not draw the attention of Seth, Bray handed a folded piece of paper to Roman who looked up at him in surprise.

"This is Punk's last letter. It arrived yesterday."

Roman opened it and scanned it quickly. His face settled into a scowl.

Dean snatched the letter from him and read it himself and seemed more confused than angry.

"What the hell is this?"

Roman inhaled and exhaled out of his nose, his irritation growing. "There are instructions to download TOR and a web address on there. Punk wants us to meet him on the dark web next week. I think he's found Sandow."


	17. This Is Hungry Work

Seth drove around town aimlessly, still too shocked and upset to have a destination in mind.

What a marked difference from the night before.

Last night, after he and his Doms arrived back home things actually went pretty well. They stepped seamlessly back into their routine like the last few horrifying weeks had never happened. Seth did what he used to before the madness. Cooking and serving dinner for his Doms, laying out the suits that Roman and Dean would wear to work the following day etc… But when they showered before bed, his Doms lavished him with affection, kissing and cuddling him under the spray then taking turns soaping up his body and washing his hair. It had been so long since he felt completely and totally safe with them, protected and pampered. Seth had even gone so far as to offer himself to them, climbing into the center of their bed, head down, ass up, presenting himself as a sub should. Roman and Dean enjoyed their offering in as many ways and positions as possible. All three of them went to bed blissful and satisfied.

And although Punk was on his mind when Seth woke up in the morning, he was feeling better about life and his relationship with Roman and Dean. Having to drive Ryback's borrowed car to work was a bit uncomfortable because it was a reminder of where his own car was and what Owens did to him but Seth managed anyway, determined to keep a positive outlook.

Rollins' calm was completely shattered though when he walked into the gym. Something was up. Antwon stopped in the middle of coaching someone to give him a dirty look. And Leslie wouldn't even make eye contact; she merely told him that the gym owner, Mr. Simpson was waiting for him in his office.

Well, it wasn't his office any longer. Mr. Simpson wasted no time in telling Seth that he was fired. That they needed a manager that wouldn't disappear on them, wait a week to contact them with some bullshit excuse to explain the absence. He said that their clients deserved to have personal trainers that would put them first. He said that the gym needed to have a manager that would be around to lead them all in a prosperous direction. And through it all Seth had said nothing. Rollins loved his job but what could he possibly tell the man that wouldn't sound completely insane? For ten minutes Seth listened to this man, his boss, tell him why he was unfit for the job. When Mr. Simpson finally finished he simply stared at his fired employee expectantly. Without saying a word to anyone Seth had simply packed up his few belongings, grabbed his gym bag and left.

Not wanting to go home Seth instead chose to drive around the city, not wanting to dwell on his unemployment. He knew that eventually he'd have to face his Doms, to tell them that he lost his job and they'd likely blame themselves for it. He didn't want to see that inevitable sorrow and guilt in their eyes.

Having reached a stoplight, Seth sighed and shook his head. "How did my life become such a fucking mess?" he wondered aloud. He didn't have an answer to that question so he just waited for the light to turn green and when it did he hit the gas. Unfortunately he still wasn't used to borrowed vehicle and gasped when it shot forward much too fast for his liking. The keys on his key ring hit the steering column with a loud jingle and it was then that Seth remembered the newest addition.

The key to Punk's loft apartment.

He had added it to his set of keys last night, thinking that when he had time this week he'd stop by. Now that he was newly unemployed there was no time like the present.

_"_ _Plus, it's not like I've got anything better to do…"_ he thought.

Seth waited till he hit another red light to input the address Bray gave him into his phone's GPS. He was surprised to find that loft was located right in the heart of the city, not too far from Dean and Roman's office building. Knowing how much Punk loathed the grid and how much crowds of people made him uncomfortable made this apartment's location even more shocking. Curiosity well and truly piqued, Seth followed the directions given to him by the pleasantly female robotic voice on his phone.

When he arrived fifteen minutes later, his eyes widened as Seth let out a low appreciative whistle. He knew that Punk had money but the man had to spend some serious dough to land this place, especially in such a prime location. Rollins bit down on his bottom lip as he pulled into the parking garage, choosing a spot nearest the elevator. Once he got out of the car Seth realized that he was nervous. And that anxiety seemed to increase the second he set foot inside the elevator. He didn't know why he was so nervous, it wasn't as if Punk was going to be there waiting for him. The thought made him blush though and immediately their last moments together flashed through Seth's mind.

Shaking his head as if to clear it Seth exited the elevator and walked up to the apartment door. He held the key in his hand and was surprised to see that it was shaking. Somehow he managed to get it inside the lock to turn it but then he paused.

_"_ _What is_ wrong _with me?!"_ he thought. Seth took a deep breath, blew it out slowly then forced himself to go ahead and open the door.

He didn't know what he expected to find but it wasn't this.

The loft was in shambles. There was broken glass on the floor and what looked to be some destroyed electronics, likely computers strewn in pieces everywhere. Cabinets were left open, papers were scattered all across the kitchen table along with some rolled up maps and diagrams and some sensitive looking equipment was left sitting out on the counter and on top of the refrigerator. Seth didn't know what to make of the mess Punk left behind. The man was utterly meticulous about cleaning and making sure things were in their rightful place back at his lakeside home. This was… strange.

Seth set the keys down on the table, deciding to do a walkthrough of the apartment. It was huge, the bathroom was spacious and the bedroom appeared to have been turned into a computer room. But it too was a wreck like the rest of the apartment. Seth frowned as he stared at all the damage. He couldn't imagine what must have happened to cause CM Punk to leave this place in such a state.

_"_ _Unless…"_

The light bulb came on suddenly as Seth realized that this mess had to have happened the night he was kidnapped. After all, Punk did save him and immediately took him back to his hometown. The older man had made plans to take him out of the country even, to keep him out of Cesaro and Owens' clutches. Punk apparently must've had no designs on coming back to the loft. Well, at least not until they found out that Roman and Dean were alive.

All of these thoughts were both humbling and depressing and Seth simply didn't have the energy to process them. Instead he made the decision to start cleaning. He didn't have to think while picking up a mess.

Besides, he knew that Punk would appreciate it.

**R&D**

To say that Dean Ambrose was annoyed would be putting it mildly. When he and Reigns arrived at DiBiase & Associates this morning they had been bombarded with questions about their 'car accident'. Naomi and Cameron in particular seemed quite concerned and fussed over the two of them for over ten minutes offering to help with whatever they needed and could they take over some of their clients till they got back into the groove? And if keeping up with their practiced lie wasn't enough, the only person that seemed to have any inkling as to where Sandow might have gone, DiBiase Jr., was nowhere to be found. Their assistant Lana simply said she overheard the top partners discussing some new international clients that Sandow was working on. That confirmation that the treacherous asshole was both alive and well enough to do his job pissed Ambrose and Reigns all the way off.

Currently Dean was pacing the floor of his and Roman's shared office while his partner tapped away relentlessly on his keyboard. Punk always had to be so damn difficult. He knew that his friends weren't as computer literate as he is so why did he choose for them to get in contact with him like this?

"Are you done yet, Rome?" Dean glanced at his watch. "I want to get this shit set up now so all we have to do is long on at the time he specified."

"You're welcome to try to do this yourself!" growled Roman under his breath. The Samoan gave his partner a warning glance before turning his attention back to the computer screen. The instructions in Punk's letter were pretty straightforward but stress made the task unusually difficult. Luckily Punk had convinced him and Ambrose to invest in a personal VPN years ago, the appeal of not having their web activities monitored more than enough incentive. Right now it was the attempt at complete anonymity that was proving a challenge. Finally though, it seemed as if Roman got it. Once logged in, it looked like the address they were given was a private video chat room. It was empty of course since Punk's letter stated that they needed to be on at exactly 6 p.m. which was hours away.

"Well, I'm finished. Now we have to wait." Roman leaned back in his chair to stretch then turned to look at Dean.

Ambrose frowned. "What the hell do we do now? I'm too wired to get any work done."

Reigns shrugged. "We could go workout? It's been a while and it'll take your mind off whatever the fuck it is Punk has planned."

Sighing, Dean took off his suit jacket and hung it on the back of his chair. "Fine, let's just go."

**P&R**

William Regal arrived at the café at 2 o'clock on the dot. He knew that CM Punk was a few steps behind him but he didn't look back to check. Punk was coming to make sure that no nasty surprises followed Sandow from the states even though Regal told him repeatedly that that wasn't necessary. Like a British version of Pablo Escobar, Regal was the head of the criminal game in London. He owned multiple businesses, all of which were fronts for his more illegal activities. He had eyes all over the city, people trained to spot newcomers, mercs and drug mules alike despite their own superior abilities to blend in. So far, nobody other than Punk himself pinged as suspicious on the radar and of course Regal's men were instructed to leave him be.

The hostess led Regal to a table near the back of the restaurant after informing him that his guest was already seated. Sure enough when he got to the table Damien Sandow was already there but stood up to greet him and shake his hand.

"It's good to see you again, Mr. Regal," said Sandow with a smile as they both sat down.

"Likewise." Regal gave a smug tight lipped smile in return. The two men had a very dry casual conversation in between the waitress coming to take their order and returning with their meal. Over brunch the conversation switched to business. Damien began telling Regal about how DiBiase & Associates were looking to expand via international ventures and that a partnership with Regal's more lucrative businesses would benefit both parties. Regal listened to the man's pitch not bothering to hide his amusement.

_"_ _This man has no idea what's about to happen to him,"_ he thought. Even though he considered acts of revenge messy and a surefire way to attract unwanted attention, William was actually looking forward to tonight. CM Punk had told him a great deal about the whole Sandow situation and it quite frankly pissed him off. Despite his own seedy background Regal had never once involved innocents in his plans. The people he couldn't get to fall in line with conventional methods (see: bribery or torture) he just killed them outright. Sandow making the young Mr. Rollins bait instead of going after his Doms directly just didn't sit right with William Regal.

Damien finished his spiel and waited for Regal to mull it over. His mind went to the monumental mess he left back in the states. After that shitstorm in the warehouse, Damien fled the country immediately. He remembered that the firm had been trying to branch out internationally and figured that was as good a cover as any. After he arrived he called his wife and told her to go stay with her mother for a while to keep her and the girls out of the city. Then he waited for word from Cesaro and Owens, his hired guns, about the deaths of Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose. Weeks passed and nothing. Sandow didn't know what to make of the situation; why hadn't he heard from them yet?

"Bloody hell!"

Startled out of his reverie Sandow looked up at the Englishman in surprise. "Something wrong?"

Regal was frowning down at his phone. "It's nothing. It's just that I had plans to meet with this delightful young man tonight but apparently something has come up." He sighed, annoyed. "I suppose one of my backups will have to do."

Damien raised an eyebrow at that and Regal laughed.

"Now don't tell me that a successful and cultured worldly man such as yourself doesn't partake?" Regal seemed to be struggling for a delicate way to put this. He gestured vaguely. "What I mean is; your hunger isn't always satisfied by the fairer sex?"

Briefly Sandow's former flame Cody Rhodes came to mind and he gave a wry grin. "My umm, particular appetite can be considered quite _salacious_. Unfortunately since I arrived here I've had some trouble with… navigating the waters."

William nodded. "It can be harder if your upper crust which is why I always keep a few tasty morsels on call." He brightened suddenly. "Why don't you meet me with me tonight? I can have my boy bring a friend along just for you."

A sexual release was just what the doctor ordered after being under so much stress. Damien gave the man a curt nod.

"I'll be there. Just give me the address."

Meanwhile, Punk was at the bar, perched on a stool, sipping on a Pepsi. He was too far away to hear what was being said between Sandow and Regal but judging by the smug grin on the Englishman's face he could tell that Sandow took the bait.

So far, so good.

**Later that night…**

Damien was feeling pretty good about himself. During his brunch with prominent local business man William Regal he thought that he made a good impression on the man. Good enough for him to become a client and clearly enough that he wanted to show him a proper time tonight. Sandow climbed out of the cab, tipped the driver generously then turned to get a look at the place. The house was large but decrepit and on the end of a deserted street in a sketchy neighborhood. Sandow wasn't used to having dalliances in such a place, often taking Cody to high end hotels where the staff could be paid to keep their mouths shut.

"Perhaps, Mr. Regal is too well known for that kind of treatment?" wondered Sandow aloud. Shaking off any nerves and misgivings he may have had, Damien straightened his back walked up the porch steps and rang the doorbell. The chime was loud and off key and it made Sandow even more nervous.

The door swung open and he was greeted by the thin lipped grin of William Regal. He was dressed differently than before, clad in a black dress shirt and blue jeans instead of the sharp beige suit. The Englishman quickly ushered him in.

"Welcome! Come in, come in!" Regal shut and locked the door behind them. "I know you're eager to see your playmate for the evening."

"I must admit, I am rather intrigued," replied Sandow, feeling slightly more at ease.

"I'm sure you are," said Regal with a chuckle. "Well the young man is down the hall in the study on the left. You might have to ease him into it, he's a little shy."

Damien smirked at him. "I appreciate this, Mr. Regal."

William nodded then pointed down the hallway. "I've already had a proper talk with him. He is expected to be on his best behavior."

Sandow walked down the hallway and entered the first room on the left. It was indeed a study but the computer screen was blank and the only light was from a small lamp on the modest oak desk. In the corner standing in front of the filthy window was a man in loose fitting black pants, cinched at the waist with a drawstring and no shirt. His hair was shaggy and unkempt. He had full sleeves of colorful tattoos that Sandow could see and the older man curled his lip distastefully. A man with ink wasn't ideal but beggars couldn't afford to be choosey. He took a few steps into the room and shut the door behind him. Not that he cared if Regal heard anything but he still wanted a semblance of privacy.

"Why don't you turn around?" suggested Sandow, his voice quiet but full of authority. "I'd like to see you."

He watched as the tatted man turned to face him and was further displeased. He had even more ink covering his chest and stomach along with a mustache and goatee that didn't seem to be groomed. His eyes appeared sunken in and there were huge bags underneath. However his gaze was sharp and surprisingly focused and that was supremely unnerving.

"What's the matter, _Sandow?_ " asked the man. He cocked his head to the side, eyes narrowed.

At hearing the American accent Damien raised an eyebrow. "You're not what I expected; but no matter. Take off your clothes."

The inked man chuckled darkly. "I don't think so."

Sandow scoffed and took a step forward. "You heard me young man. You know what I'm here for, now get undressed."

The younger man fell silent but didn't move. He glared at Sandow, his fists clenched at his sides. He watched as the older man walked right up to him before slapping him hard across the face. His head snapped to the side with the force of it and for a second all he saw was red. But suddenly the dam broke and he immediately rushed Sandow, slamming him back first into the nearest wall. The move shocked Damien, his head snapping back making brutal contact with brick causing him to see stars.

"Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose send their regards," whispered Punk into Sandow's ear. He felt the older man tremble in his grasp, heard his mumbled curses when he began to struggle and Punk chuckled again before smacking Damien's head into the wall once more effectively knocking him out.

William Regal walked into the study just in time to see Punk allowing Sandow's body to slide down to the floor.

"Are we ready?" he asked.

"Almost," answered Punk. He shook out his wrist, worried he might have tweaked it. "Let's get him downstairs and prepped. Then I need to log on."

By the time he and Regal had gotten everything set up in the basement it was time to connect with his friends back in the states. First he made sure that all his tats were covered by slipping on a pullover hoodie and snatching a white hockey mask down off his head to cover his face. When he saw that Regal's face was covered as well by a black ski mask, Punk went over to the laptop in the corner and pulled up the private video chat room he'd set up. Sure enough Leakee and Jon were already in the room, staring anxiously at the screen.

"Hey guys," greeted Punk. It sounded sheepish to his own ears but he let it stand. "You two know the drill, no names. I've done what I can to ensure this is private but there's always a chance someone better than me can sneak in." He didn't give the two a chance to respond before picking up the laptop and carrying it to where Sandow lay, still unconscious and stripped of his clothing, strapped down to a table by heavy leather. He heard someone, likely Moxley, whisper the words, 'goddamn' and 'shit', when they saw their soon to be former boss.

He tilted the laptop and walked the length of the table so that his friends could get the full visual. Then he carried it over to a smaller nearby table so they could see all the tools and weapons he and Regal had available for their task tonight.

Roman and Dean glanced at each other before turning their attention back to the screen. They caught a glimpse of Regal positioned at the side of the table, hanging a bag of saline from a hook in the ceiling that was connected to a needle already in Sandow's arm.

"Who the hell is that with you?" asked Ambrose with a frown.

Regal heard that and scoffed. "None of your business, dear boy," his voice sounding muffled through the ski mask. He turned to Punk. "The saline will keep him from going into shock. Don't want the fun to end early do we?"

Roman raised an eyebrow and again he and Dean exchanged a look. They'd both heard that man's accent. Where the hell _was_ Punk?

Punk smirked at them beneath his mask. "He's somebody that owed me a favor. That's all."

"You've certainly been busy," remarked Roman. The Samoan couldn't decide if he was more amused at the situation or annoyed that he'd been left out.

Punk merely chuckled as he set the laptop down on the smaller table. It was directly across from Sandow's prone form. "You guys ever watch any cam shows?" Judging by the silence he guessed that that was a no. "Well here's how this is gonna work. You tell us what you want done to him and we do it. Our hands will be your hands." He paused for a second to look at the screen. "Look, I know this isn't ideal but work with me you two."

While both Reigns and Ambrose were annoyed by not being able to deal with Sandow in person they had to admit this was a pretty ingenious plan by their best friend.

"Fine," said Dean. "Wake the bastard up. He needs to know what he's in for."

Regal was already at the unconscious man's head so he gave Sandow a quick hard slap.

Damien groaned and opened his eyes slowly. His vision swam in and out for a long moment before he was able to focus. Gradually his memory seemed to come back to him and when he tried to move he was at a near panic. He searched the room, well as much as his bonds would allow and saw two masked figures at either side of his head. This was already like something out of a nightmare.

"You with us, sunshine?" asked Punk cheerily. "We wouldn't want you to miss anything." He was truly looking forward to putting the fear of god… no, the fear of _him_ into Sandow for the last miserable minutes of his wretched life.

"Regal?! What is the meaning of this?!" Damien's voice was fearful and higher than normal.

William sighed beneath his ski mask as if bored. "There's no 'Regal' here."

Punk stepped to the side then forced Sandow's cheek to the table he was strapped to where he could see Roman and Dean's faces on the computer screen. Sandow's eyes widened when he saw the men alive and well. He licked his lips and swallowed hard.

"So… Cesaro failed." It came out as a near whisper.

Roman gave a deep chuckle and Dean actually laughed out loud.

"And how!" said the dirty blonde, still laughing. To Punk he said, "Did I see tongs and a scalpel on the table?"

"You most certainly did," announced Punk. He let go of Sandow's head to take the offered items from Regal.

"Good," added Roman. "The man always did talk too much. If he wasn't micromanaging us at work he was flapping his gums to Haitch about our pretty boy." Roman made a considering noise under his breath. "Maybe we need to get a closer look at that tongue of his. You know, to check and see if it's forked."

Sandow's breaths started coming faster and faster. He began struggling against the straps holding him down. "Now wait just a minute! WAIT!" Damien couldn't protest anymore due to Regal shoving a pipe back between his teeth, forcing his mouth open wide. Punk angled himself behind Sandow's head so that his friends could see what he was about to do. He used the tongs to pull the man's tongue out then began slicing through the thick muscle. The howls that left Sandow's mouth were unearthly, almost animal like. The man thrashed on the table, the pain beyond anything he'd ever experienced before. Thick rivulets of blood filled his mouth, gagging him, choking him.

When Punk finally cut the tongue free he turned it over in his gloved hands. "Hmmm..." He dangled it in front of the laptop's webcam. "Doesn't look forked to me. He's human after all. Fucker's just a treacherous asshole." Punk could see a small measure of satisfaction on the faces of his best friends and it made him smile under the mask.

"You know what?" Dean cocked his head to the side, staring at the man sweating, shaking, crying on the table. "It took a set of balls to try to kill us all. Now look at him. What a weak, pathetic bitch."

Roman smirked at his partner then turned to Punk. "Why don't you take his balls too? He's not going to need them anymore."

Punk grinned. "No problem."

"And if the shock doesn't kill him," added Dean. "Then I know what should."

Regal handed Punk a butcher knife, knowing where the younger man's head was at. He watched, amused as Punk hacked off Sandow's testicles with one determined chop. Damien's howls of pain reached new heights and Regal winced at the sounds. A glance at the laptop showed that their audience was enjoying every second; the torture they were witnessing had their eyes alight with glee like a child on Christmas morning. And surprisingly, Damien Sandow was still conscious, indecipherable garbled pleas coming from his throat.

Reigns shook his head at the noise. At Sandow's loudest they had to turn the volume down on the computer lest they alert the whole office to his impending demise. "Hey man. It's time to end this."

Punk frowned at that. "What? We could keep going. Don't tell me you're feeling sorry for the bastard?"

"Nah, we just want to get home."

Punk heard the unspoken, 'to Seth' and that all too familiar ache began beneath his ribs. The princess… whom he was doing all this for was never too far from his thoughts these days. He guessed that Roman was right. It was time to end this.

"Drown his ass in the toilet, like the piece of shit he is," growled Dean, rubbing at his collarbone anxiously. Like his partner, he too was ready to finish this.

Punk mulled that over for a second. It would definitely be poetic for Sandow's life to end in the way that he tried to end Seth's. He turned to Regal. "There a toilet down here, man?"

"Of course!" replied William, his voice more chipper than it had any right to be. The whole process seemed to amuse him greatly.

Punk took laptop into the bathroom first and set it on the back of the toilet tank. Then with help from Regal they unstrapped Sandow and dragged him into the bathroom. They held him by the arms over the dirty bowl, watching him come to grips with his fate.

"Any last words, motherfucker?" asked Punk.

Damien Sandow looked up at the laptop screen wearily. He moaned and swayed in their grip, something that was all vowels coming out of his throat. It might have been, 'I'm sorry'.

Punk and Regal dunked his head in and held him down. The man struggled weakly for what seemed like forever as they listened to the gurgling. Only when he went still and silent did Regal and Punk lift him back up. The Englishman checked for a pulse and nodded when he found none.

Roman and Dean watched the entire scene, completely entranced. And when it was revealed that Damien Sandow was finally dead it felt like a huge weight had been lifted off their shoulders. They could finally relax. They could live in peace. They could begin to heal and help their sub, their lover Seth Rollins to do the same.

"Thanks, man." It surprised Dean himself to be the first to say it. "I mean that shit. We're okay now."

Roman patted Ambrose's thigh and smiled at the screen. "Thank you."

Punk tipped an imaginary cap. "It was my pleasure. I'm glad we can all close this fucking chapter in our lives."

"When are you coming home?" blurted Roman suddenly. He felt Dean stiffen at his side but it had to be asked.

Punk shrugged feeling uncomfortable. "I don't know, man. I thought I might travel a bit. Do some sightseeing. You know, touristy shit."

Roman raised an eyebrow. He knew that was a lie off top since Punk hated people. "Don't stay away too long."

"I can't promise anything. I just want to…" Punk gave a suffering sigh. "I need to get my head right. I just... I can't do it at home. Tell the princess… I appreciate him looking after my apartment. Bye, guys." Abruptly Punk terminated the connection to the chat room. Sighing he pulled the hockey mask off his face and saw that Regal had done the same with his ski mask. The older man was staring at him thoughtfully and it was making Punk decidedly uncomfortable.

"What?!"

Regal tilted his head to the side. "Do they know you're in love with their sub?"

Punk scowled at the ground. He hadn't told Regal enough about their situation for it to be that obvious. The inked man cursed his transparency. "They might."

"What about this… Seth? Does he know?"

"Wouldn't be right to tell him."

Regal smiled at that. "Not what I asked."

At that Punk just grunted and stepped over Sandow's body to exit the bathroom. "You got any Pepsi here?"

William Regal laughed and nodded. "I bought some just for you. They're chilling in the fridge." He stared down at the body on the floor distastefully. "I'll have some of my men come by to dispose of this."

"You do that!" called Punk, already up the stairs. He hadn't prepared himself for the resurgence of jealousy that came with seeing his best friends again. There was no way he could go back home right now. No, he had to get his feelings sorted out first.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're looking at most likely one more chapter plus an epilogue. Two chapters and an epilogue if I decide it transitions better that way. Either way, the end is extremely fucking nigh so I hope you all are ready :) Keep reading and reviewing!


	18. No Sweeter Innocence

Seth sighed as he pulled into the now familiar parking garage. He parked near the elevator then just sat allowing his brand new car to idle as he let his mind wander.

_"_ _It's been six months since anyone's heard from him. Where is he? What could he be doing?"_

Seth's thoughts about Punk were always the same, wondering just what was going on with the inked man, wondering when he was coming back. More than that, he simply missed him. Seth was missing his friend.

Except… things were decidedly complicated between them now. Seth wasn't sure if friendship was the best way to describe his relationship with CM Punk anymore. The last time they saw each other they had shared an indescribable kiss. That kiss was nearly always in the back of Seth's mind along with the sad smile on Punk's lips when he left. There had been longing in the older man's gaze, Seth was sure of it now. At the time Seth didn't know what it was he was seeing. He'd been so focused on his own turbulent emotions that it just hadn't occurred to him that Punk may have felt something deeper for him. Sighing deeply, Seth turned off the engine and got out of the car.

**R&D**

Roman Reigns leaned back in his office chair, twirling a pen between his long fingers. He was trying to decide if he was going to leave the building for lunch or just visit the café downstairs when his cell phone vibrated in his pocket. He fished it out quickly, his eyes widening in surprise when he saw the name on the screen before swiping to answer.

"Hey! Big E, how you doing man?"

A deep bass reverberated through the receiver ending in a chuckle. "I can't complain. How about yourself? Dean? Seth? Everyone doing alright?"

Roman thought about that for a second. "We're all okay. I mean Dean and I are holding things together as best we can for Seth but…"

"But…?" Big E pressed, knowing there was more.

Roman sat up in his chair and sighed. "Our pretty boy is as wonderful as ever. Cooperative, attentive, loving… does everything we ask without so much as a complaint but… _something's_ missing and it has been ever since Phil up and left. Seth refuses to talk about it or _him_ and it's driving me and Dean up the wall."

Big E hummed thoughtfully for a seconds before answering. He and Roman had become quite close over the past few months, often discussing various tips and techniques on the handling of their subs in between good natured ribbing of their favorite football teams.

"It's driving you two crazy because you're his Doms and you can't stand to see him hurting. And that's what this is, you know. He's hurting. And if I know Seth, he probably thinks it'll hurt _you_ to know that he's in love with Phil."

The Samoan licked his lips and leaned back in his chair once more. "Dean and I have talked it over. While he's not thrilled about it we both agree that it's something that Seth needs to face. We love him no matter what. He should know that by now."

Again Big E hummed a little ditty and it made Roman grin despite himself. The ebony man always seemed to hum when he was thinking or considering something. Roman figured it was one of Kofi's newer methods of keeping him calm and centered. It seemed to be working, he'd have to thank the good doctor the next time he saw him.

"Why don't you all come to the club tonight? I think it'll give you three much needed time to uhh, _bond_."

Reigns nodded, slowly getting used to the idea. "Okay. I think we will." He paused for a second. "Are you and Kofi going tonight?"

"We'll probably make an appearance. Kofi's been on me about taking him out more."

Roman could hear the smile in the other man's voice. "Alright, we'll see you then."

"Later."

"Bye, man."

Roman ended the call and pursed his lips as he went over the conversation in his mind. He was still thinking over all the possibilities for the night when Dean walked into their office. Ambrose shut the door behind him and went to sit on the edge of Roman's desk.

"Uh oh." He jostled the Samoan good naturedly. "I know that look. What is it?"

"Big E just called. He invited us to the club tonight." Roman smirked up at the dirty blonde. "He said it would be good for us and the pretty boy to _bond_."

Ambrose raised an eyebrow in surprise before grinning. "Fuck yes! Maybe it'll help us to work Seth out of this funk he's in. Plus, I've heard Arrival's got some new toys. I can't wait to try that shit out."

Roman glanced down at the phone in his hands. "I'm going to go ahead and call Seth to let him know what's up and to meet us at the club as soon as we get off work."

"Good. And I want him to wear those pants that you bought him."

Roman swiped call on the phone and brought it up to his ear while it dialed Seth's number. "The leather ones… with all the buckles that go all the way down his legs? Or the leather ones with the straps?"

Dean smirked. "Definitely the buckles."

**Later that night**

Wearing his new black leather pants gifted to him by Roman a few weeks ago, black boots and no shirt and of course his silver collar, Seth Rollins stood just outside the entrance to Arrival. He fidgeted a bit, both anxious and excited, while he waited for his Doms to arrive. They hadn't been to the club since before the Sandow situation and he was actually looking forward to being in the scene once again.

"Hey! Rollins!"

Seth turned around to see that his friend and swole-mate, Tyler Breeze was walking up to him with a huge grin on his face. The blonde was dressed rather flamboyantly in skin tight purple spandex pants, a matching vest and furry white boots. He sidled up next to Seth and wrapped an arm around his bare shoulders.

"Waiting on your Doms?" asked the younger man.

"Yeah," replied Seth. "They should be here any minute."

"Want me to keep you company till they show?"

"Nah, it's okay. I'll be fine." Seth looked out to the street then back at Tyler with an eyebrow raised. "Whose attention are you trying to attract dressed like that?"

Tyler gave a slow grin. "Mmm… Nobody in particular. I just like to look fabulous." He stepped away from Seth and did a slow twirl to prove his point.

Seth chuckled. "Fabulous, indeed."

"Glad you agree." Tyler reached into his vest and pulled out his cell phone. "Now pose with me Seth!"

The two men took a bunch selfies together, laughing when they couldn't hold their exaggerated pouts and duck lips for longer than a few seconds. Seth and Tyler were so engrossed in their photo session that they didn't even notice when they were joined by the very men Seth had been waiting on.

Roman and Dean were making their way up to the club entrance when they spotted their sub and his friend taking pictures near the door. The two young men seemed to be having a grand old time and it warmed both Doms to see their pretty boy looking so happy and carefree. Despite how annoying Dean sometimes found Seth's friend, he couldn't deny that Tyler was good for him.

"You two having fun?"

Both Breeze and Rollins froze at the rasp of Ambrose's voice then started laughing at being caught acting like self absorbed teenagers.

Seth moved away from Tyler to give his Doms his full attention. "I was just waiting for you two."

Roman winked at him then said to Tyler, "Thanks for keeping our sub company till we got here."

Breeze shrugged and nonchalantly flipped his hair over his shoulder. "It was no problem. See you all inside!" With that said he turned and sauntered into the building.

Dean and Roman stood in front of Seth, looking him over. He was dressed exactly as they instructed him to be and both Doms nodded in approval. Roman tucked some errant strands of their sub's hair behind his ear while Dean reached up to finger the collar around Seth's throat.

"You look good enough to eat, pretty boy." He grinned at the flush blooming on Seth's cheeks. "Let's go."

Seth smiled and nodded before dropping his gaze. He allowed his Doms to lead the way before following them inside the club. Seth was actually a bit surprised to see Reigns and Ambrose still dressed in their suits that they wore to work. And yet he rather liked the notion that he was the only one out of the three in actual bondage wear. It made their ownership of him seem even more overt and pronounced.

Inside the club was packed and loud. The heavy and electronic sound of Nero blared through the speakers, the beat seeming to pulse within them as they moved throughout the club. Because of the late hour, most of the stations were already in use. It was just as well, neither Roman nor Dean had a plan yet. So for a few minutes they just watched and observed the happenings around them, hoping to become inspired.

At least until Roman spotted Detective Langston and his sub Dr. Kingston seated in a booth along the far wall. Reigns nudged his partner and pointed in their direction.

"There's Big E and Kofi. Why don't we sit with them for a bit?"

Dean shrugged. "Okay but only for a few. Looks like a couple of stations over there are about to be free." Ambrose's gaze drifted to a shirtless man with short red hair and an equally red beard being flogged all across his back on the St. Andrews cross.

Both Kofi and Big E saw the three men making their approach and smiled before scooting over in the booth to make room. Roman sat on the other side of the detective while Seth sat next to Kofi inside the both with Dean on the other side of him.

"Good to see you, man." Roman clapped Big E on the back happily.

The detective grinned. "Glad to see you all could make it."

Reigns glanced at Dean (whose attention was elsewhere) before returning Langston's grin. "May I speak to your sub?"

Big E nodded. "Of course."

Roman turned his attention to the loc'd gentleman to his and Detective Langston's right. He couldn't see much of Dr. Kingston's outfit since he was sitting but it was likely understated. Big E wasn't one for drawing too much attention to his sub.

"How are you tonight?"

Kofi smiled brightly. "Doin' alright. It's good to see you three out and about."

Reigns nodded. "Yeah, it was just time for us to rejoin the rest of the world." He paused, thinking. "Well outside of working I mean."

The two men chatted for a bit more while Dean alternated playfully squeezing Seth's thigh and scanning the room for an available area. A few minutes later Roman noticed that something or someone had Big E's attention.

He elbowed the man while asking, "What is it?"

Big E frowned slightly. "Nothing really. Just looks like Arrival has a new member, that's all."

Kofi smiled at his Dom, amused. Nothing ever went unnoticed by the veteran detective, whether he was on duty or off.

Roman followed the detective's keen gaze across the room and instantly settled on a familiar outline. The Samoan's eyes widened in surprise and he jumped up from the booth, hitting his knee on the table in the process. Dean and Seth turned to him, perplexed as did their other two companions. The dirty blonde opened his mouth but wasn't given the chance to question him.

"Stay here! I'll be right back!" Roman called over his shoulder before swiftly moving through the crowd. He followed the figure to the back of the club near the bathrooms until they stopped close to the far wall. Just as the man went to lean against the wall, presumably to watch a Dom correct a young woman on all fours on the floor in pony play, Roman grabbed him up in a huge bear hug.

CM Punk let out an unmanly yelp when he was lifted off the ground. It felt as if all the air left his lungs as someone crushed him to his chest. He didn't have to look to know it was his long time friend Leakee hugging him from behind; no one else was ever that happy to see him.

Finally, Reigns set Punk back down on his feet before spinning him around, forcing him to face him.

"What the hell, Punk?! What are you doing here, man?! When did you get back?! Why didn't you contact us to let us know you were alright?" The last was said with an air of exasperation.

Punk flicked his lip ring with his tongue as his gaze drifted back to the pony making rounds in the makeshift pen at her owner's request. Eventually he just shrugged. "I got home yesterday afternoon. I guess I just wanted to see you all. Then I remembered the princess telling me you liked to come here on the weekends so I thought I'd drop by." Punk nervously ran a hand over his buzzed hair. "I didn't plan to interrupt your night out. I just…." The inked man stopped abruptly and shrugged helplessly.

Reigns stared at his friend for a moment. "If I hadn't spotted you… Would you have just watched us and left? Would you have ever let us know you were back in town?"

Punk could hear the hurt in his friend's voice and that familiar ache started up beneath his ribs. Sighing, he looked down at his shoes but didn't answer.

Shaking his head, Roman put fisted hands on his hips. "Why did you even come back?"

Finally, Punk met The Samoan's gaze. "It, um, was just time. London was fun for a while but I got bored."

Roman's eyes widened at that revelation. _"So that's where he's been?"_ he thought.

Out loud he said, "We _will_ talk more about _that_ later." He took a step back then looked over his shoulder in the general direction of where Dean and Seth were sitting. Roman couldn't see them from here so they clearly didn't know that Punk was here and that realization gave him an idea. He just hoped that Dean would go for it.

Reigns turned and gave Punk his full attention. "You're coming home with us tonight," he said. "Go to the front door, we'll meet you there in ten minutes."

Punk's eyes widened and he took a step back. His mind suddenly flashed on what happened the last time he was in their house and the ache in his chest intensified. "Uhh, shit… That's okay, man! I was just planning on driving back to town tonight and…"

"That wasn't a suggestion, Punk," interrupted Roman. He was smiling but his eyes were hard as if daring his best friend to defy him. Without another word he walked away from Punk as he headed back to where his partner and sub were seated.

Dean looked up just as Roman made his way through the sea of dancers. He couldn't quite place the look on the man's face but it concerned him.

"What the hell was that about?" yelled Dean, wanting to be heard over the music.

Roman didn't respond, instead he nodded his head in the direction of the cool down room and waited for Dean to rise and follow him. Sensing his urgency, Ambrose whispered in Seth's ear, "Stay put. You can keep talking to Kofi and Detective Langston until we come back."

Seth nodded that he understood but watched his Doms walk away with utter confusion marring his handsome features.

Kofi peered into Seth's face, frowning. "What's going on?"

Seth shrugged. "I wish I knew."

When Roman and Dean walked through the double doors leading to the cool down area it was like being suddenly slapped in the face by silence. The room was empty and that was just as well because Roman wasn't sure how his partner was going to take what he had to say.

"Are you going to tell me what the hell is going on?" asked Ambrose. He wasn't angry yet but Roman being secretive always brought out the worst in him.

Reigns cracked his knuckles and widened his stance, unconsciously preparing for a fight. "Punk is here," he said flatly. "I spotted him over by the bathrooms."

Dean gave an incredulous laugh. "Really? The fuck is he doing here? Why didn't he let us know he was coming?"

Roman sighed. "Why do you think? You know how he is. Hell, he didn't even want us to know he was in town, let alone in the club."

The dirty blonde shook his head and chuckled once more. "Well, why didn't you bring him over? He listens to you."

Knowing what he had to say next might not be received well, Roman braced himself. "I know. I told him to come home with us."

"Ooookay…" Dean squinted at his partner suspiciously until it dawned on him what the Samoan meant. "God damn it, no!"

"Dean, I know how you feel but we talked about this!" Roman relaxed, no longer worried about getting punched in the face. "Don't you want Punk and Seth to be happy?"

"Oh fuck Punk's happiness!" snarled Ambrose, his hand finding its way to his collarbone to rub it anxiously. "He likes being miserable!"

"And what about Seth? Huh? What about our pretty boy?" Roman implored the man in front of him. "He needs this. He needs Punk; maybe as much as he needs us." He took a step forward and placed his hands on Dean's tense shoulders, squeezing gently.

The dirty blonde tried to wrench himself free but Reigns held fast. He glared at the man in front of him. "If it's like you say… If they love each other…. You know that if we allow this… it won't be a onetime thing. Right?"

Roman's lip quirked up in a lopsided grin. "I made my peace with that a long time ago. I suggest you do the same." He let Dean go and walked to the closet behind a red leather loveseat. Once he opened the door he reached into a box and pulled out a pair of unopened ear plugs and a new blindfold. "Now let's go surprise our pretty boy."

When Roman and Dean returned to the table where Seth was sitting with Big E and Kofi, their pretty boy looked up just in time to see their approach. He smiled at the items dangling in Roman's grasp. That smile got bigger when Dean crooked his finger, calling him over to them.

As soon as he reached them, Roman handed the items to Dean and pulled Seth roughly into him by his belt loops before kissing him deeply.

Pulling back, he stared into his sub's eyes. "We're going home, baby."

Seth cocked his head to the side, his gaze questioning. "But we just got here!"

"I know that but we're not going alone," continued Reigns, his hands moving slowly from Seth's waist to cup his ass. "There's a man here who's interested in you. He's interested in seeing just how responsive… how expressive you can be."

This was a complete surprise to the younger man but with his Dom squeezing and kneading his ass, he couldn't muster up the will to protest. Plus it wasn't the first time they allowed someone in on their play. But those few times had been spankings only and of course within the confines of the club.

Bringing someone else home with them was unprecedented.

Dean seemed to sense his apprehension and stepped forward, reaching out to turn Seth's face towards his. "You listening, pretty boy?"

Seth fought to hold back a moan as Roman squeezed his ass a little harder, managing to nod instead.

"We're going to be right there with you the entire time. If something happens that you don't like, use your safe word. Understand?"

Again Seth nodded. He fought not to pout though when Roman released him to take the blindfold and ear plugs back from Dean. The tiny plugs went in first. Even though the music was loud as were the people all around them, once the ear plugs went in Seth could only hear the thrum of the bass.

_"_ _These ear plugs are too good…" he thought. "Once we leave I won't be able to hear anything!"_

The blindfold came next. Right before it was lifted up to his face the last things he saw was Reigns winking at him and Dean smirking. The Samoan secured the silk fabric to his face in such a way that he was completely unable to see. His Doms had effectively removed two of his primary senses.

And they were about to allow a stranger to manipulate his remaining senses.

Part of Seth was terrified but another part of him was thrilled and anticipated the night ahead.

**P**

Punk paced near the front door of the club, unable to stand still. He rolled his shoulders back and laced his fingers together on the back of his neck, staring down at the floor.

"I should just leave," he muttered under his breath. "I can contact them tomorrow or have Bray do it. I don't know why I don't just walk out that door…"

The swish of the curtain behind him halted his murmured objections instantly. Standing in front of him were his best friends, Jon and Leakee and their sub, Seth Rollins. Even though Jon gave him a nod in greeting, the expression on the dirty blonde's face was pleasantly neutral. Having been friends with the man for years it was obvious he was trying to reign his emotions in (anger most likely), but why?

Perhaps it had to do with Leakee. The Samoan was smiling but there was a mischievous glint in his eyes. He had his hands on Seth's shoulders as if he was steering him…

Oh.

Ohhhh.

Punk finally allowed his gaze to rest on the younger man. His chest was bare and the leather pants he donned hugged his lean muscled frame in the most sinful of ways. But most notably, his lovely brown eyes were covered by a black silk blindfold. Despite the obvious handicap, the princess appeared calm, serene even.

As if to add to his confusion, Jon whom had been watching Punk gape at his sub said, "He's also wearing ear plugs. He can't see or hear shit."

Leakee chuckled at his partner's bluntness before addressing their friend. "Okay Punk, we're going to play a little game with Seth tonight. Nothing heavy, we're just going to tease the hell out of him."

The inked man raised an eyebrow. "We as in…?"

"All of us."

Punk felt his mouth suddenly go dry and he struggled to form a sentence. "And he's… okay with this?"

Roman didn't allow his gaze to shift to Dean, even though he wanted to. "He's okay with this. And should that change, he'll let us know."

Ambrose rolled his eyes and walked to the door. "Come on, we're wasting moonlight."

When the four men finally made it to the car, Roman insisted that Dean drive so that he could sit in the backseat with Punk and Seth. So far the pretty boy hadn't spoken a word nor made a sound even when shoved into the backseat by Roman and forced to scoot to the middle. Punk sat down stiffly on Seth's left directly behind the driver's seat. He watched his friend buckle the younger man's seatbelt for him while Dean started the car and made his way out of the parking lot.

The four men drove in silence for a few minutes, the tension inside the vehicle thick and heavy. Punk himself was feeling damn near claustrophobic. Just sitting so close to the man that had been plaguing his every thought for the past six months was liable to drive him insane. He gave a suffering sigh and though there was no available space, tried to scoot closer to the door.

Dean decided to take the long way home, forgoing the expressway in favor of the main road and side streets. While he was getting a perverse kind of pleasure out of his friend's obvious discomfort he glanced up at the rearview mirror to give a Roman a look that said, 'Now what?".

Roman winked at his partner then looked to their friend. "What are you waiting for, Punk?"

He leaned over Seth so that he could see Punk's face. "Go ahead. Touch him."

Punk's eyebrows hit his hairline but his hand was up and moving before he even realized it. He snatched it back though and scowled down at his lap feeling anxious and extremely uncomfortable.

Roman shook his head. "It's fine, I promise." Not bothering with convincing the man, he simply reached over, grabbed Punk's hand and dropped it onto Seth's knee. The pretty boy jerked in surprise but otherwise didn't move. Punk's protest died on his lips as he realized he was now touching Seth for the first time since the sweet kiss they shared six months ago.

Punk wet his lips as he stared at his hand. His heart was beating so fast he thought he might pass out. He dared a look up at Seth's face. The sub still appeared calm and accepting.

Slowly he slid his hand from his knee to mid thigh. The leather was tightest here, Seth's well muscled thigh straining the material. Punk again chanced a look up at the younger man's face and was happy with what he saw so he allowed himself a quick squeeze. The pretty boy inhaled sharply, reacting at last to Punk's ministrations. Just that slight sound sent a delicious tingle straight to Punk's groin and inadvertently he squeezed Seth's thigh again, harder this time.

Seth sucked his bottom lip between his teeth, surprised at how much he was enjoying the mystery man's wandering hand. And yet it was strange for a Dom to be so hesitant with him. At Arrival when Roman and Dean allowed Mistress Asuka to spank him (in front of a crowd no less), her strikes were quick and powerful. The petite Dom had been so impressed with his fortitude that she'd invited all three of them to her home for a 'play party'. Dean and Roman had politely declined having heard that the woman seemed to have no limits. Even though their proclivities could be dangerous they had no desire for Seth to be handled in such a fashion by anyone other than themselves.

But this man with them now? Whoever he was wasn't sure in his handling of him. Seth wondered if perhaps this person had no experience dominating anyone before and that's why he asked to do this in private. Still, he was enjoying the attention and was curious about what would happen next.

Roman watched this all with a small smile on his face. Worried about breaking the spell, he whispered his next words to Punk. "Trail your fingertips across his abs… slowly."

As if in a trance, the inked man did as Roman said. He took his hand from Seth's thigh, reached over and dragged his fingers over the entire sculpted plane of his stomach. Punk watched in fascination as the muscles bounced and jumped with his touch; relishing the breathy gasp he evoked from Seth. So pleased with the princess' reaction that Punk did it a second time, even dipping his fingers close to the top of his pants. He saw that Seth's hands had curled into fists at his sides as a low hiss escaped him. And Roman watched this all with hooded eyes and a smile. The Samoan could see that Punk was gaining confidence and it was clear that the pretty boy was enjoying himself as well.

At least until Dean braked so suddenly that everyone jerked forward in their seats. The dirty blonde looked over his shoulder, grinning at his passengers.

"We're home."

Seth knew they were home the moment they stepped inside the house. The familiar smell and feel of their home served to ground him. He was curious to see if he'd be able to find his way around without any help but wasn't given the chance due to being swiftly lifted into someone's arms.

_"_ _Dean…"_

Seth smiled to himself as he recognized the scent and strong armed grasp of his Dom. Sighing contentedly, he tucked his head into the crook of Dean's neck while the man carried him through the house and then upstairs. It was a bit disorienting to be carried without being able to hear or see. He clutched handfuls of Dean's shirt, willing himself to focus and fight the odd sensation of vertigo. The sensation didn't last long however once they made it to what Seth assumed was the bedroom the movement stopped and he was set down on his feet. He barely had time to register being in the master bedroom before a pair of hands went to work divesting him of his clothing.

He was concerned at first until he realized he was going to be allowed to keep his bikini briefs on. That was a relief. Soon after he felt another pair of hands pick him up and place him on the bed.

_"_ _Roman…"_

Seth was positioned on his back, spread-eagled and thought he knew what was coming next. But instead of rope being tied around his wrists what he felt instead was the tight warm grip of his Doms. He couldn't determine who was where but Roman and Dean were indeed holding him down. This thrilled and terrified him. It was as if his Doms were offering him up to this stranger in their home.

_"_ _Shit! I almost forgot about him! I wonder what's going to happen now…"_

Punk stood awkwardly near the foot of the bed staring at the sight before him. His two best friends, clad only in their underwear were currently holding Seth (also in his underwear) down on the center of their massive bed, Leakee on the right, Jon on the left. Seth was squirming a little, not really fighting their grip but unable to be still. It didn't help that every few second Jon would swipe across the sub's bottom lip with his thumb, chuckling when Seth tried to take it into his mouth but was denied.

Roman smirked at Dean's antics then turned his attention to Punk. "You need to strip so we can continue this."

So entranced by the sight of a nearly nude Seth on the bed that Punk quickly did as he was told. At least until his pants came off and he suddenly remembered that today was one of the days he chose to go commando. Realizing he was completely nude made the inked man fidget and he not so discreetly covered himself.

"Relax, man," rasped Ambrose while continuing his thumb's teasing trip around Seth's lips. "It's not like it's nothing we haven't seen before."

"Besides," added Roman doing his best not to laugh at his friend's embarrassment. "The pretty boy can't hear or see you, remember?"

"Fuck…" whispered Punk. He was still wildly uncomfortable but climbed onto the bed anyway. Still, to preserve a bit of modesty he draped the top sheet over his lap as he positioned himself between Seth's spread legs.

"Go on," urged Roman. "Touch him."

Dean removed his thumb from Seth's lips reluctantly so that he could watch what Punk was about to do. Despite his reservations about anyone other than him or Roman intimately engaged with their sub he couldn't fight his curiosity. Plus, Seth appeared to be enjoying all of the attention.

With a tad more finesse than in the car, Punk gently dropped a hand on both of Seth's legs before lightly dragging his nails up from his ankles to his hip bones. Seth shuddered under his touch, jerking against the tight grasp of his Doms. Encouraged by this Punk traced the beginnings of the sub's defined hips up to and over each of his abs and then his pecs. He had to lean forward to do this and the sheet slid off his lap. However, Punk was so enthralled by the feel and reactions of the man beneath him that he barely noticed, he merely worked his way up, his palms stopping to hover over Seth's darkened nipples. When he brushed against them lightly the pretty boy let out a loud moan, arching up for more contact.

Roman and Dean shared a glance then looked back down at the two men in front of them.

_"_ _Punk's hard as fuck," thought Roman, both impressed and amused. "Hell, they both are."_

Dean didn't know how to feel about what was happening, some weird combination of intrigue and dismay. Ultimately he just hoped that this wouldn't change how their pretty boy felt about them.

Seth squirmed and moaned. His eyelids were fluttering behind the blindfold. Without his hearing or sight to distract him, Seth's focus was solely on the sensations this man was creating. His touch, alternating between gentle and teasing was directly juxtaposed with the firm warm grip around his wrists. He was completely aroused and didn't know how much more of this he could take.

"Please."

That whispered word was the first out of Seth's mouth since their evening began. Punk looked up instantly at the pretty boy's face. He didn't see the grin on Leakee's or the indeterminate expression on Jon's. His eyes were all for Seth who appeared to be in sensual agony. There was tension in his frame and those gorgeous plump pink lips were turned down in a sexy pout.

"Please," he said again. There was a needy tremble in his voice that forced a response out of the other men in the room.

Punk's just happened to be much more immediate.

_"_ _I have to get closer," thought Punk. "I have to…"_

On his hands and knees the inked man crawled forward on the bed until his hardened member was pressed flush against Seth's ass. Both men let out simultaneous groans and Seth automatically locked his legs around Punk's waist. Punk thrust up against the younger man once… twice… so into the moment he completely forgot the other two men were even there. His face was inches away from Seth's now, so close their quickened breaths were intermingling.

Seth went utterly still. This man! This man was doing things to him, doing things that so far in his life he'd only felt with his beloved Doms. He touched and handled his body like an old lover, like he knew him from the inside out. Even now one his hands was at his throat, tracing his barely there scars. His dick was pressed firmly against his ass, Seth's underwear the only thing keeping his virtue intact. He was close… so close.

There was no more thought, only his racing heart and a pulsing need. Punk claimed Seth's lips with a kiss so soft and slow he thought he felt the younger man's breath and heart stop completely. He nibbled at those lips he'd only kissed twice before, demanding entry. He moaned into Seth's mouth as he thrust his tongue inside, slick and wet, the taste everything he remembered and more.

Something like a sob and a moan tore itself from Seth's throat as he recognized the lip ring and the lips it belonged to. Frantically he snatched his wrists away from his Doms then pulled the blindfold off and the ear plugs with it. Even with his vision fighting to adjust he knew exactly who it was hovering over him with those hypnotic green eyes and a crooked smile. He watched the man flick his lip ring with tongue nervously.

"Hi, princess."

 


	19. Only Then I Am Human, Only Then I Am Clean

 

Seth propped himself up on his elbows, lips parted as he stared unblinkingly at CM Punk.  His mouth opened and closed just as quickly, words failing him.  Eyes wide with wonder and surprise he reached out and pressed a single finger to Punk’s lip ring then touched his own lips briefly before leaning back again.

Smirking, Roman leaned in close to Seth, his lips brushing the pretty boy’s cheek as he spoke.  “Isn’t this what you wanted, baby?”

Seth shivered at those words, still not able to take his eyes off of CM Punk.  He wanted to say something, anything but his mouth was suddenly dry.  His tongue was stuck to the roof of his mouth while he stared at the man above him.  This was just too wild, too unexpected and Seth was struggling to process it all.

Punk hadn’t moved yet, still hovering over the younger man, trying to read his face.  Seth was in shock, that much was obvious but what was he really thinking?  Did he regret what had just happened?  Should he leave?  Plagued by uncertainty but still drawn to the princess just beneath him, Punk was frozen in place.

Roman glanced over at Dean whose body was tense and his expression unreadable before turning his attention back to their sub and best friend.

“Dean and I are going to go downstairs for a while.”  At that, both Seth and CM Punk looked over at him in confusion.  Roman almost smiled at their mirrored movements, their identical expressions.  He nodded at them in encouragement as he climbed off the bed.

“Come on, Dean.  Let’s leave Punk and the pretty boy alone.”

Ambrose hesitated for a second then slowly got off as well.  His eyes were all for the two men still on the bed and he couldn’t seem to make his feet move.  Punk glanced at him, saw the look on his face and quickly looked away.  But Seth?  The pretty boy was again gazing up at Punk in such a way that made Dean’s chest tighten.  In the end, Roman reached for him and maneuvered him out of the master bedroom.  Once Dean was safely out of sight, the Samoan turned his attention back to Punk and Seth.

“Seth, baby we’re okay with whatever happens here tonight.  I swear.”  Roman smiled wistfully at his sub who once again gave him an odd look before training his gaze on his best friend.  “Punk, I know how you feel about him.  I’ve known for a long time.  And now, he needs to hear it from you.”  With that said Reigns ducked out the room and closed the door behind him.

The sound of the door closing and realizing that they were suddenly alone finally forced Seth out of his daze.  He scrambled out from underneath Punk to sit up against the headboard amongst the pillows with his knees to his chest and his arms wrapped around himself.  CM Punk sat down cross-legged on the bed in front of him, discreetly covering himself with the sheet once more.  Somehow even with the awkwardness of the last couple of minutes, he was still embarrassingly hard.  The two men looked everywhere and nowhere, anywhere but at each other.  The silence between them stretched on, thick and heavy.

Eventually though, Punk was the first to speak.  “So… uh… thanks.  For taking care of my apartment I mean.”

Not expecting to hear that first off made Seth smile and he finally made eye contact with the inked man in front of him.  “It was no problem, really,” replied Seth softly.  “I was happy to do it.”

Again the room fell into silence.  But this time Punk and Seth were observing one another, reflective as they did so.  Seth couldn’t help but note all the changes in Punk.  He was smaller and less toned than he remembered; verging on skinny even and the ever present bags under his eyes were more pronounced.  His usually shaggy brown hair was buzzed fairly close to his head.  And in spite of the colorful artwork adorning his body, Punk’s skin appeared drawn as if he hadn’t been out in open sunlight in months.  All of those depressing observations aside, Seth found that Punk’s green eyes that had been trained on him for the past few moments held a softness and clarity that seemed at odds with how world weary Punk appeared to be.

Seth bit down on his lower lip in worry but the question had to be asked.  “Where have you been, Punk?  How could you just leave like that?”  Rollins looked down into his lap, his cheeks burning as what had happened a few minutes ago crossed his mind.  He chose not to address that though.  “I… was worried.  I thought you were never coming back.”

Punk’s eyebrows were raised in surprise at the emotion coming from Seth.  He knew that Roman worried about him and perhaps even Dean to some small extent.  But for some reason it never occurred to him that the princess would miss him while he was gone.

Sighing, Punk scrubbed his hands over his face.  He didn’t know how Seth would react to what he had to say but it was time to bring everything out in the open.

“Well…while Leakee, Jon and you were in the hospital, I um, managed to track down Sandow.”  He saw the taken aback expression on Seth’s face and shook his head at the realization that after all this time Seth was still in the dark about some things.  “I, uh, went to London to finish him off.  It had to be done, princess.  You guys had already gone through so much… I just needed to be sure that nothing, that _no one_ would ever hurt you again.”

Seth went still at Punk’s explanation.  He couldn’t even bring himself to be mad that his Doms (and Punk for that matter) had kept him in the dark _again_ he was so surprised.  “But I thought Dean and Roman wanted to be the ones to kill him?”

Punk gave a sardonic laugh at that.  “They did.  I never told them shit.  Not where I was going, not if I was coming back.  Nothing.”  He reached a hand out and placed it on Seth’s knee, patting it gently.  “Every time I closed my eyes all I saw was you in the hospital, the day after all that shit went down.  I thought Jon and Leakee were dead.  _You_ thought they were dead.  And the look in your eyes when you thought you were all alone in the world…”  Punk shook his head and coughed hoping to fight the feeling of his throat closing up.

“Princess, you were broken.  I watched you shatter and there was nothing I could have done that would have put you back together.  Those two making it out of that godforsaken warehouse and home to you was exactly what you needed.  So I went to London after Sandow alone.  I just didn’t want to risk the possibility of Leakee and Jon dying on you for real trying to take that asshole out.”

Seth licked his lips but stayed quiet for a beat.  Then he mirrored Punk’s position by crossing his legs in front of him before taking the older man’s hand in his.  Squeezing gently, he stared evenly into Punk’s eyes.

“You don’t think I need you too?”

Punk didn’t know what to say to that and wasn’t given the chance to respond because Seth was already going on.

“I missed you like crazy!  I kept asking Roman and Dean about you, wondering why we hadn’t heard from you and all they could tell me was that off the grid stuff.”  Seth closed his eyes briefly in annoyance then continued.  “I missed you so much that I’ve been compulsively cleaning your apartment three times a week for the last six months!  You can eat off every surface in that condo.”

That last made both men share a grin that turned into quiet laughter.  After sobering a little, Seth squeezed the inked man’s hand once more.  “I need you too.”

Seth shifted so that he was on his knees so he could place his hands on Punk’s shoulders.  He watched as Punk wet his lips, flicking the lip ring as he did so (Seth was starting to recognize that as a nervous tell).  Seth leaned in close, so close he almost went cross-eyed trying to keep eye contact with Punk. 

“I love you, CM Punk.  I think I have for a while now.”

Punk shuddered, unable to believe he was hearing these words from Seth’s own lips.  Before he even realized he was doing it, he grasped Seth by the face and kissed him deeply.  The sudden movement caused Punk to topple backwards onto the large bed with Seth sprawled on top of him.

Punk stared up into those beautiful brown eyes and felt that long suffering ache in his chest finally disappear.  He smiled then and it added years to his face.

“I didn’t know what it was at first,” said Punk after a moment.  “When you guys showed up on my doorstep over a year ago, I never imagined that I would grow to care for you as strongly and as fast as I did.  But it happened.  I fell in love with you, princess.  I tried ignoring it, I tried fighting it, I tried distance but none of it mattered.  Nothing changed how I feel about you.  I love you.”

Seth initiated the kiss this time.  But there was none of the domineering or finesse of his Doms in this kiss.  It was a gentle give and take between him and Punk.  Soft and wet, they plucked at each other’s lips as quiet sucking sounds filled the room.  Soon that changed as they transitioned to deeper, breath stealing kisses.  Their tongues delved into each other’s mouths, the slick muscles caressing as they tasted each other.

Again Punk was rock hard but he could feel that Seth was too, their erections pressed against each other.  The older man groaned then grabbed the pretty boy by his hips, holding him tight enough to bruise as he thrust up against him. The friction was heavy and sweet, just this side of unbearable while their hormones went into overdrive.  During this the sheet Punk had over his lap shifted.  Soon there was nothing between them but Seth’s tiny bikini briefs.  Again Punk thrust up against Seth, loving the low breathy moan that escaped his lips.  Punk merely swallowed it down, thrusting in earnest up against the younger man, slow and rhythmic.

Seth’s skin felt hot all over, every touch from Punk a delightful burn.  The older man’s hands were everywhere, nimble fingers dancing across the expanse of his back, to gripping his thighs, to squeezing his buttocks.  The moans and groans between them echoed throughout the bedroom as they exchanged desperate open mouth kisses.

Punk was going mad with lust and he finally allowed his fingers to rest on the waistband of the younger man’s briefs.  He traced them all the way around his waist, even brushing against the head of Seth’s dick.  The princess was so hard and leaking, his precum was darkening the front of the material.  Seth hissed at the contact, his lips leaving Punk’s to suck on the older man’s neck.

Again Punk’s fingers traced the hem of Seth’s briefs lifting them slightly.

“Mmm, princess… Can I?”  He slid his index finger into Seth’s underwear, teasing around the sensitive area above his crack then sliding his finger back out.  “Please… I need to feel you…”

Seth sucked on Punk’s Adam’s apple, moaning loudly under his breath in response.  He felt Punk hesitate though and decided to take matters into his own hands.  He sat up, away from the inked man whom watched him dizzy with lust and confusion.  Seth kept his gaze trained on Punk’s as he stood up in the bed above him before slowly pulling his underwear down and off.

Punk’s eyes darkened instantly, his pupils nearly swallowing all of the green.  The pretty boy stood above him completely and utterly nude.  Punk’s heavy lidded gaze travelled slowly up his body, committing every detail of his flesh to memory. The man he’d wanted for so long… standing over him…. his body muscular and toned, a glorious work of art.

Without even realizing it, Punk’s hand drifted to his own erection, gripping it lightly at first, then squeezing from the base to the dripping head and back down again.

“Fuck, princess…” his voice came out strangled and harsh.  “You’re so goddamn beautiful.”

Seth dropped to his knees, straddling the inked man’s hips, while also turning his face away to hide his blush.  There was no barrier between them now, they were skin to skin and both men moaned at that.  Then they were kissing again, hungry and wanting.  Seth reached behind him and grasped Punk’s hardness for the first time.  He watched as the older man broke away from him to curse under his breath and the pretty boy felt oddly powerful. 

Due to the dynamics of his relationship with his Doms, Seth wasn’t ever really afforded the opportunity to take control.  And that was fine.  He lived to serve them, however they saw fit.  But with Punk, he felt a new, very real desire to seize the moment, to take control.  Seth bit down on his bottom lip before giving a coy smile as he continued to manipulate the hardened flesh in his hands. Holding the shaft upright, Seth lifted his bottom slightly to tease the head against his puckered hole.  There was a steady stream of precum slickening his entrance and it took all his restraint to keep from sinking down on to Punk’s dick all at once.  Instead he kept teasing himself, his eyes shutting to lose himself in sensation.

Punk didn’t know how much more of this he could take.  It was getting overwhelming and he’d be damned if he came without at least getting to be inside of the pretty boy.  He inhaled sharply, ready to beg if need be when without warning he felt the head of his dick breaching Seth’s outer ring of muscle.  Instantly his hands shot out to grab Seth’s hips, not to force him down but because he just needed to be touching him.  Both men panted and groaned as Seth slowly impaled himself on Punk’s hardness until he was in to the hilt.

At long fucking last.

For a moment Seth just held himself still, his eyes closed, just enjoying the fullness behind the initial stretch and burn due to lack of prep.  He felt Punk’s hands leave his hips to ghost all over his body, leaving goose bumps in his wake.  And when he finally opened his eyes, the look he saw on Punk’s face stole his breath.

With all manner of pretense behind them, Seth began to move.  He rocked his hips, forward and back, attempting to grind himself down into the older man’s lap.  The pretty boy expected Punk to do something about this pace, to flip him over and pound him mercilessly or to hold him still so that he could pump up into him.  It was what Roman and Dean would have done.  Instead the inked man licked a wet stripe in the palm of his hand before taking hold of Seth’s turgid manhood.

“Oh god…  Punk, please…”  Once again Seth’s eyes slammed shut as Punk carefully, almost timidly handled him.  It was torturous, plain and simple.  Desperate for more contact Seth shifted so that he could rise up and down on Punk’s shaft, faster than before.  It forced his cock through the older man’s slick palm as well.  They were nearing the crescendo of their intimate symphony, neither man able to last much longer.

Punk wanted more, to do more.  He wanted to whisper every single dirty and lustful thought into Seth’s ear while he rode him.  He wanted to slow things down even more, to barely slide in and out of Seth’s tight channel forever and ever.

But he did none of those things.  Punk just watched him and listened to the helpless whimpers while Seth bounced on his cock.  The pretty boy’s eyes were still screwed shut, his mouth hanging open as he worked himself into a frenzy and then suddenly he went rigid.  Thick pearly streams shot out of his dick, covering Punk’s hand, stomach, chest and neck.  His inner muscles fluttered and squeezed Punk’s erection so deliciously tight that he came just as suddenly.  Seth milked him for every drop as his seed splashed the younger man’s walls.

Finally Seth collapsed on top of Punk, whimpering and shivering from over sensitivity while ignoring the sticky mess between them.  They clutched each other in silence, the significance of what they’d just done crashing over them like a wave.  Their friendship transcending into something beyond anything either of them had been expecting.  In a way it was frightening but it was also welcome.

After a time, Punk lifted the pretty boy’s head from his shoulder to press a brief yet sweet kiss to his lips.

“I love you, Seth.  I fucking love you so much.”

A pink tinge came to the princess’ cheeks and he smiled.

“I love you too, Phil.”

 

**R&D**

Ambrose allowed his partner to steer him down the stairs, through the living room and into the kitchen.  He allowed Reigns to sit him down in a chair while he went to the refrigerator and pulled out a couple of bottles of beer before setting one down in front of him.  He stared at the frosty brew until Roman came back with a bottle opener and opened it for him.

Once he was seated, the Samoan took a long swallow from his beer then set the bottle back on the table.

“It’s going to be okay, Dean,” he said after a moment.  “Seth may love Punk but he loves us too.  Nothing is going to change that.”

“How do you know that?”  The words came out quiet and dangerous.  “How do you know that Seth wouldn’t rather be with Punk?”

Roman raised an eyebrow incredulously.  “Don’t be ridiculous!  Nothing’s changed!  We’re just going to have to share him, that’s all.”

“Bullshit!” exploded Dean, snatching the beer up and launching it at Roman’s head.  The Samoan managed to duck just in time and the bottle smashed against the wall behind him.  Somehow that miss only made Ambrose angrier.

Roman didn’t get up from his chair because doing so would mean a fight.  It was a struggle though.  “Look, you and I share Seth just fine.  Before him we would share or have separate lovers with no problem.  What’s the big deal?!”

“Bull-fucking-shit!” repeated Dean with a growl.  “The big fucking deal is that I’m in love with you too!  We love each other and we both love Seth!  I’m not in love with Punk.  That fucker is my friend and nothing else!  How can we trust him to not steal Seth away from us?!”

Roman kept his voice low but he could see that his partner was well and truly worked up.  If he could make it through this night without getting punched in the face… well it would be a miracle.  “Look, I get it, man.  But you’re being silly.  This is about Seth and what he wants.  Hell, what he needs!  You’ve seen him moping the past few months, trying not to let us see just how depressed he really was!  Seth’s our sub, Dean.  We have to do what’s best for _him_.”

Dean’s eyes narrowed and he stood up so fast that his chair tipped back, clattering to the floor behind him.  “Don’t do that.  Don’t fucking do that.  Don’t you _dare_ try to say I don’t care about Seth!”

Roman inhaled and exhaled slowly from his nostrils.  The dirty blonde was spoiling for a fight.  It was just a matter of time before he took a swing at him.  “That’s not what I said and you know it,” said Reigns quietly.  “You need to calm the fuck down or else they’ll hear you.  Then this whole night will have been for nothing.”

The Samoan realized much too late that that was the wrong thing to say.  Ambrose launched himself across the table, tackling him to the floor.  Snarling and spitting, Dean punched at any part of Roman that he could reach, bruising his cheek and splitting his lip.  At the start, Reigns wanted to keep from hurting Dean, knowing that he was struggling to deal with his feelings.  But when the man ground his knee into his crotch while scrambling to wrap his hands around his throat, Roman completely lost control.  With a roar, he flung Dean away from him with all the strength he could muster and the blonde smacked into the fridge with a bang.  Roman was barely on his feet though when Dean leaped onto him and again they thudded to the floor.  The two men rolled, struggling to overtake the other.  Cuts and scratches opened up on their skin as they grappled among the broken glass from the beer Dean threw.  Eventually, Ambrose found himself straddling the larger man, his hands wrapped around Reign’s throat, throttling him.

Roman couldn’t breathe.  He tried prying at Dean’s hands, doing whatever he could to loosen the pressure but it was becoming futile.  Just as the darkness closed in, just when he was about to pass out the hands at his throat disappeared.  Roman coughed and wheezed trying to pull air back into his lungs.  He almost didn’t register that his boxer briefs were being yanked down his legs to be thrown somewhere on the floor.  But he heard Dean loud and clear when he spit directly onto his exposed entrance.  He felt the improvised lube sliding down his crack and he trembled, his body vibrating with adrenaline from the fight and anticipation at being filled.

Dean leaned over top of Roman, his blue eyes feverish and bright with emotion and need.  He braced himself up on one arm while he guided his throbbing member inside his partner.  Roman hissed at the sharp pain.  It had been a long time since he’d been taken.  Dean knew this and couldn’t be bothered to care at the moment, thrusting hard and fast once he was inside.  Roman groaned low in his throat as he wrapped his legs around Dean’s waist hoping to ease the friction.  The pleasure in that change in position was immediate now that the head of Dean’s dick was stabbing his prostate dead on.

Dean knew he wasn’t going to last.  He was too amped up and his partner entirely too tight for that.  So he increased his speed, his balls smacking loudly against Roman’s ass.  Dean caught sight of Roman’s bleeding lip and smashed their lips together, sucking the ruby liquid into his mouth, even nipping at the cut to draw more blood forth.  Both men groaned loudly, somehow still fighting for dominance even though Dean was the one topping.

Not surprisingly it was Dean who came first, mumbling something unintelligible as he filled Roman inside.  He pumped his hips slowly a couple more times and that final jab against Roman’s bundle of nerves forced him over the edge soon after, painting both their stomachs with his cum.  Breathing heavily, the two men broke apart, Dean’s softening member sliding wetly out of Roman’s ass as he fell to the side.

Slowly Reigns sat up, not keen on having pieces of glass sticking in his back.  He winced at the tenderness below though he was satisfied and sated now that they had released their pent up aggression.

“Feel better?”  Roman looked over his shoulder at Dean still lying on his back.  The question was meant to be ironic.

Dean wiped sweat from his brow before giving Roman his full attention.

“I saw them kiss, Rome.”

Frowning in confusion, Reigns stared at the blonde.  “What?”

“Back at the hospital, after the warehouse.  When I went upstairs to see our pretty boy… he and Punk were kissing.”  Shaking his head at the memory, Dean threw an arm over his eyes.

Roman fought to not let his surprise show.  Instead he gingerly lay on his side next to Dean, moving his arm so that he could see his eyes.

“Okay… you saw them.  Now tell me how Seth acted when you walked into the room.”

A small grin spread across his lips despite himself.  “The same way he did you, Rome.  The same way he always does.”

“With total love and adoration, right?  Like we’re his whole world.”  Roman found himself grinning too.  “Seth will always be our pretty boy, Dean.  He’s wearing our collar, babe.  He nearly went hypothermic in a tub of ice for you.  He bled for me.  Seth fell in love with us in spite of all that.  He’s not going anywhere.”

**TDD**

After cleaning themselves up and changing the sheets on the bed, Punk and Seth wound up under the covers, lightly dozing.  Seth was lying with his head on the older man’s chest, the steady throb of his heartbeat slowly lulling him to sleep.  Punk squeezed him tight, threading his fingers through the princess’ dark locks.  The two were so relaxed that the sudden click of the door opening startled them and they moved to sit up.

Roman and Dean entered the bedroom and both men wore towels around their waists, appearing to have showered recently.  Still, Punk and Seth noticed a few blemishes here and there, some cuts and scratches on their skin that weren’t there earlier in the night.  But if they weren’t going to mention them, neither would Seth.  Besides, Dean and Roman looked tranquil and content; whatever caused them to clash earlier seemed to have been settled.

Dean opened his arms wide and nodded his head at Seth, still grinning.  The sub gave Punk’s thigh a quick, reassuring squeeze before he climbed off the bed and walked into Ambrose’s waiting arms.

Seth felt that all too familiar love and security as his Doms sandwiched him.  Dean kissed him first, owning his mouth while he thrust his tongue inside.  He was barely given time to inhale before Roman took his turn, demanding Seth take everything he dished out, pleased when he coaxed a needy moan from his sub.  When the kiss ended, Seth gasped, feeling breathless but pleasant and light as if a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders.

“Listen to me, pretty boy.  Are you listening?” murmured Dean, fingering the collar around the sub’s neck.

That question always got the desired reaction and Seth immediately responded with, “I’m listening.”

“Long ago we told you that we always want to know how you’re feeling.  Do you remember that?”

Seth nodded slowly.  “I do.”

“Well,” interjected Roman.  “Falling in love with Punk over there falls under that umbrella.”  There was laughter in the Samoan’s voice that seemed to put Seth and Punk at ease.

“No more secrets, okay.”  It was a command coming from Dean; not a question.

Again Seth nodded, this time with a relieved smile on his face.  “Okay.”

“Great.  Now, Punk you can take your happy ass to the guestroom down the hall.  Clearly you put some work in on our pretty boy and we all need to get some rest and go to sleep.”

Roman laughed at that and at the flush on Punk’s cheeks.  But it was Seth who voiced a protest.

“Can’t he stay in here with us tonight?  Please?”

Dean tapped at his chin, appearing to think it over.  Finally he made an annoyed sound in his throat.  He glanced at Roman whom was giving him a thoughtful grin.

After a moment, Dean cocked his head to the side, studying their inked friend who had yet to make a move and was watching him carefully.

“Scoot over, asshole.  It’s going to be a tight fit.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Epilogue incoming...


	20. My Lover's The Sunlight

The next few months went by in a pleasant blur. Although the authorities both in London and in the States had yet to close out the investigation into Damien Sandow's disappearance it was becoming increasingly obvious to everyone that whatever had happened to him, he was gone for good. With Reigns and Ambrose working directly underneath Sandow when he disappeared they both were up for promotion and became partners at DiBiase & Associates in short order. The other partners, DiBiase included, took notice when Ambrose and Reigns were found to be capable of handling Sandow's extremely wealthy and high profile clients. With their new position came a lot of responsibilities and also quite a bit of power. It was a heady sensation for both men knowing that they were indirectly the cause of Sandow's disappearance and taking his job all in one fail swoop. They felt practically invincible and Seth reaped the benefits as Roman and Dean took their domination of him to a whole new level.

When it came to his job, Rollins was eventually offered a fulltime permanent position to become a trainer at Crossfit and took on the new job with equal parts enthusiasm and pride. His swolemate Tyler Breeze worked at a different Crossfit facility so they did the most in trying to see whose trainees could make the most gains and lose the most weight. Having a bit more experience under his belt had Tyler with a slight lead.

In their personal lives Roman, Dean and Seth couldn't be happier. Their relationship was right where it needed to be. And the threesome remained content even with the addition of Punk as Seth's lover.

After that fateful night that Punk and Seth confessed their feelings to each other (and subsequently made love for the first time) they were given the opportunity to spend a weekend at Punk's loft in the city. That first weekend was more like two best friends just hanging out. They talked, played video games and just lazed around the apartment generally just enjoying each other's company. Punk even had Seth sleep in the bed while he himself slept on the couch. The weekend was nearly perfectly platonic. It wasn't until Seth was about ready to leave Sunday evening that things got… physical.

The two men were in the kitchen with Punk putting away dishes while Seth munched on a protein bar rattling off a list of tasks he was slated to complete once back home. Eyebrows raised, he glanced at the clock on the wall and realized it was already getting late.

"Well, I better go," said Seth somewhat sadly. Since he was leaning with his back against the kitchen counter, Seth went to push himself up into a standing position when he caught Punk's eye.

The older man was standing near the sink and had been watching him silently for a few minutes. The look on Punk's face was… intense. With a few quick steps he was suddenly in front of Seth. He was close, close but not touching. Seth stared at him wide eyed and his breath caught in his throat, the half eaten protein bar still clutched in his hand.

Punk stared into Seth's face as he took another step forward, this time into Seth so that he pinned the younger man in place by trapping one of his legs between both of his. That move evoked a small gasp from Seth and Punk responded by grasping his chin between his thumb and index finger. Slowly he pulled Seth towards him to meet his lips. The kiss started off as a mere brushing of lips but Punk deepened it at Seth's breathy sigh. He could feel the younger man's hardness pressing against his hip and it instantly caused a new yearning and curiosity that Punk hadn't felt before.

Suddenly the inked man pulled back, releasing Seth's lips with a wet plop. For a moment he couldn't help but admire the flush in his cheeks and the redness of his kiss swollen lips.

_"_ _He's so fucking pretty…"_

With that final thought, Punk dropped to his knees.

Still breathless from the kiss moments ago, Seth gazed down at the older man. He licked his lips somehow both anxious and completely turned on. Rollins was so keyed up that he thought his knees might buckle when Punk yanked his sweat pants and underwear down just enough to free his erection.

For a moment, Punk just stared at the thick hardened flesh in his hands. He'd seen it before of course but not from this vantage point. Punk felt saliva pooling in his mouth and he swallowed reflexively before realizing with a start that he couldn't wait to taste him.

Despite never having done this, Punk decided to draw from memory. That shameful night in which he had spied on his friends in their most intimate moments came to mind. It still embarrassed him that he'd taken things that far but his voyeurism would come in handy now. He remembered vividly what Leakee did to pleasure Seth this way and decided to mimic his moves.

When Punk first gave his swollen head a long languorous lick Seth instantly gripped the edge of the counter so tightly his knuckles went white. The sound brewing in his throat was some strange combination of a whimper and a moan and upon hearing it Punk met his heavy-lidded gaze once more.

Staring up into the dark brown eyes trained so intently on him gave Punk a sudden surge of confidence. Smirking, he winked at Seth before taking the entire head in his mouth. Rollins cursed, his hips bucking automatically, forcing his cock to the back of Punk's throat. Punk coughed around the flesh in his mouth but didn't back off. Instead he began sucking, even flattening his tongue to accommodate as much of Seth's dick as he could. It felt good yet strange to be doing this Seth but Punk continued, gaining speed and rhythm as he sucked.

"Oh shit… Unh…" Seth was close, he could feel his balls drawing up tight, the heat starting to spread in his belly. "Punk! I'm gonna fucking cum!"

Punk pulled back long enough to say, "Then cum, princess." Before sucking him down even harder than before.

When Seth watched his dick disappear back into Punk's mouth, rubbing along his lip ring as it went, he came shortly afterwards. He threw his head back, very nearly smacking it on the cabinets behind him as the waves of pleasure washed over and through him. He hardly noticed that his underwear and pants were being pulled up on him but was instantly aware when Punk pressed against him. Seth had barely opened his eyes but shut them again when he felt the older man's lips on his. And when he opened his mouth to deepen the kiss he was surprised to find that Punk was sharing his seed with him. The musky taste of himself combined with the sweetness of the inked man's lips made Rollins' head spin and he moaned loudly into Punk's mouth. After a few blissful moments, Punk ended the kiss. He cocked his head to the side, studying Seth. He looked visibly shaken. Concerned, Punk embraced him and started rubbing his back gently to calm and soothe.

"You okay?"

Seth swallowed thickly before answering. "Yeah. It's just that- I mean…" He struggled to form a coherent thought then finally blurted out, "That was amazing, Punk! What made you-"

"I just wanted to, that's all," interrupted Punk with a small chuckle. "Actually… I've wanted to do that all weekend." He pressed a kiss below Seth's ear then sighed as if relieved.

Seth squeezed Punk tightly in response, noting with surprise that the older man was still rock hard. Tucking his head in against Punk's neck, Seth let one of his hands trail down the man's ribs to his waist then further down to his groin. He cupped the bulge in Punk's basketball shorts and started a slow torturous squeeze and release through the thin fabric, smiling when he heard the inked man groan under his breath. Just as he was about to reach inside his shorts to repay the favor he heard his cell phone ring.

Conditioning made Seth break away from Punk instantly and he rushed to snatch the phone from the kitchen table to answer it. Right then Punk glanced over at the clock on the microwave and shook his head with a small grin on his face.

"You are in _sooo_ much trouble, princess."

He watched with his arms folded, still grinning at the one-sided conversation he was witnessing. Seth's face changed color several times in under a minute, from white, to red, to pink, each shade corresponding with several different expressions that caused Punk to both pity and laugh out loud at his guest.

When Seth ended the call, he ran to go grab his duffel bag and keys whilst jamming the phone in his pocket. But he stopped in his tracks when he caught sight of Punk observing him.

And his dick was still hard, tenting up the front of his shorts. The visual alone was like a magnet to Seth and he almost dropped his bag, wanting so desperately to finish what Punk had started.

Surprised at his own fortitude Punk shook his head. "Nuh uh, princess. You've got to go. I can only imagine what either Jon or Leakee just said to you about being late."

Seth's gaze drifted down to Punk's erection then back up to his face. "But…"

"No buts." Punk walked Seth to the door however instead of opening it, he pushed Seth into it, forcing him to drop the bag and brace himself with his hands on the door.

"We want them to let you come back over, right?" Punk pressed himself against Rollins for emphasis, the feel of his hard dick on Seth's clothed ass startling a hiss from him. "And that won't happen if you disobey them when you're with me."

Seth nodded shakily and responded with a quiet, "Okay."

Punk stepped back, allowing Seth to pick his bag up and open the door. Rollins turned and gave his friend and lover a smile that was almost shy. "Goodbye Punk. I… I love you."

It never failed to warm his heart hearing those three words. "I love you too. See ya, princess."

***P***

An hour later, fresh out the shower and totally at ease after jerking himself to completion, Punk padded into the living room and stretched out on the couch. He intended to take a nap, his insomnia having been strangely (but thankfully) absent for the past month, before heading back to the lakeside town and his home on the hill. He had promised Ryback he'd do some intel for him as soon as he got back to the states and the Big Guy had to be getting impatient by now.

Just as Punk started to close his eyes he heard the annoying blare of the burner phone he used during the whole Sandow fiasco. Sitting straight up, he shook his head.

"I thought I destroyed that damn thing. Fuck me…"

Sighing in resignation he got up from his comfy spot on the couch and began hunting down the offending piece of hardware. It turned out to be in the desk drawer in the makeshift computer room. He gave a wry grin knowing that Seth had to be the one to put it in there during his compulsive cleaning of this apartment while he was in London.

Recognizing the number immediately he pressed answer and put the phone to his ear.

"What is it, Leakee?"

The bluntness of his friend never failed to amuse him and Roman chuckled. "Well Dean and I were just wondering why our pretty boy got home so late."

Frowning, Punk responded with, "Why don't you ask him?"

Roman raised an eyebrow despite know that Punk couldn't see him. "We did. Now we want to hear it from you."

Punk felt himself flush. "Oh for fucks sake. Do you really want to know?"

Without hesitating Roman answered with, "Yeah, we do. We need to make sure our pretty boy isn't lying about why he broke curfew."

Punk sighed and tried to sound annoyed but in all honesty, he was intrigued. His best friend was in complete domination mode and he could only imagine how he and Jon must appear to their sub now. "Huh. Is the princess in there with you?"

"Of course he is," replied Roman in a matter of fact tone. "And FYI, you're on speaker phone so he and Dean can hear you too."

Punk's gaze went skyward as he mumbled out what happened. "God… Look, he was on his way out the door when I stopped him and sucked his dick." Punk's cheeks were on fire revealing this (and for an audience no less!) but the man _did_ ask.

Roman was stunned into silence for a moment before giving an abrupt bark of laughter with Dean echoing it in the background. "That's it? Wow, man. You must have some tricks up your sleeve to make him forget about who he _actually_ serves."

"Oh shut the fuck up, Leakee," growled Punk, embarrassed.

"Well since I got you on the phone…" began Roman while still chuckling at his friend. "You wanna stay on? Bear witness to his punishment?"

Punk automatically started to say 'No' but curiosity won out and he nodded until realizing Roman couldn't see him. "Alright. What are you gonna do to him?"

"It's not up to me this time," replied Roman, he turned to glance at his partner on the right of him. "Dean hasn't administered any punishment in a while so it's his turn."

The two Doms and their sub were in the play room at the moment and the anticipation among them was electric.

Seth had been ordered to shower (among other things) the moment he walked inside the door. Reigns and Ambrose had watched him do so, wanting to make sure he was thorough, clean inside as well as out. And the entire time they grilled him about what had happened at Punk's loft, asking him over and over in a multitude of different ways why he was late. And when he finished showering he wasn't allowed to dry off, instead being dragged into the playroom by his soaking wet hair and made to kneel before them both. Following that, Roman called Punk up with him and Dean eyeing the sub carefully for every miniscule reaction wanting to make sure he wasn't in any distress before they even got started.

Now shivering on the cool tile floor in front of them, Seth had not voiced one complaint. He was determined not to disappoint them or anger them more in any way. Hell, normally he would be trying to sneak peeks at Roman and Dean as he could always tell what kind of punishment (or reward for that matter) was coming his way. But hearing both sides of their conversation with Punk, as the inked man told his friends exactly what happened between them to make him late was extremely awkward.

And yet… listening to his beloved Doms laughing and discussing his impending punishment with CM Punk was also turning him on. He was already at half-mast just trying to imagine what Dean and Roman planned to do to him.

And Punk was going to be listening the entire time.

Seth knew that Punk had no desire to dominate him in any way and that was fine. But to discover that he was intrigued enough in his Doms handling of him was so fucking hot.

Ambrose moved to stand directly in front of Seth, feet far apart, his posture both relaxed and somehow threatening at the same time. He planned to put in some real work on their pretty boy and it amused him that Punk was going to hear it all. It had taken Dean a long time to get used to Punk's new role in their lives but now he planned to make the best of it. Seth and Punk were going to remember this night for a long time.

Smiling wickedly, he held his hand out to the side and gripped the phone tightly once Roman slapped it down onto his palm. Speaking directly to the microphone he said, "Tell me man, did our pretty boy return the favor?"

Both Punk's brows shot up at that question. "No. But-"

Dean shushed Punk before clicking his tongue disapprovingly. "Look at me, sub!" He watched Seth obey him with a quickness, his brown eyes wide. Just witnessing the beginnings of fear on Seth's face already had his dick hardening in his jeans.

Just like the night they first brought him home.

"So, not only did you break curfew but you left Punk there with full balls and a hard dick?"

Somehow Seth's eyes widened even further, the whites showing all around. Of all the ways he expected Dean to react, this wasn't it. "I wanted to!" blurted Rollins suddenly just as Dean opened his mouth to speak.

Ambrose cocked his head to the side in surprise and Roman was at his side in a flash. Both men suddenly glared down at Seth, their expressions fierce and damn near frightening.

"You just interrupted me. I don't remember giving you permission to speak, _sub_." Dean's voice was cold. Distant. Quiet. There was a lot of anger and disdain in that one sentence that it instantly brought the pretty boy to tears. Seth abased himself before them, lowering his body even more so that his forehead touched the floor, silently begging their forgiveness. He hardly dared to breathe, refusing to unleash any more of their wrath.

Punk didn't need a hidden camera feed to know just how threatening his two friends must appear right now. He knew this was part of their lifestyle, part of the game but he was still compelled to try and diffuse the situation. "Look you two, _I_ hustled Seth out the door so he wouldn't be any later than he already was. Okay? I jacked off the second he was out the door; it's fine guys."

Roman let loose with what could only be described as a growl. "Just shut the fuck up, Punk. We'll deal with our sub however we see fit. You just sit back and enjoy the show."

After sighing loudly; for once Punk did as he was told and shut up.

Dean and Roman exchanged a look then stared back down at their pretty boy. He was trembling and this time they knew it wasn't from the cold.

"Sit up," commanded Roman.

Seth obeyed immediately but dared a look up into his Doms' faces. What he saw made him shiver and he looked down again.

"Oh no you don't," admonished Dean, his tone still frigid. "Look at us. Watch us."

Again, Seth did as he was told and he was not surprised to see that Roman and Dean were unzipping their pants. Both men reached into their jeans and pulled out their already hard cocks. It was a beautiful sight that Seth never tired of seeing. Ambrose's in particular was dribbling precum, the head shiny and the piercing slick. It was no wonder that he was so turned on watching the pretty boy's fearful reactions.

"You know what to do," said the dirty blonde. "Both of us, in your mouth. Now!"

Seth jumped at the sudden exclamation but quickly went to work doing as he was ordered. His Doms alone were a mouthful but sucking them off together was an ordeal and a half. Rollins struggled to stuff his mouth with both of their cocks and watching him fight to do so amused Dean and Roman greatly. When he finally accomplished this feat, his mouth was filled to capacity with drool leaking onto the floor as his lips threatened to split into a Joker's smile.

"Ah, yes. That's it, pretty boy. You look so beautiful like that," murmured Reigns. He glanced at his partner briefly. "Doesn't he?"

Dean nodded while keeping his eyes on their sub on the floor. "Mmmm, yeah he does." Then to Seth he said, "Come on pretty boy. Suck us."

For nearly ten minutes the two Doms watched their sub struggle to comply. He could do it, if only a slightly.

Licking his lips and more than ready to move on, Dean took a step back so his dick slid wetly out of their pretty boy's mouth, groaning at the friction as it rubbed against Roman's. The Samoan did the same then waited to see what Dean would have Seth do next.

"Get on the table. On your back."

Seth stood up and went to the stainless-steel table in the back of the play room. His damp skin was beginning to dry but his hair was still dripping so he was instantly cold the second his back made contact with the cool steel.

When Dean made it to the table he wasted no time in spreading Seth's legs and shoving his pierced length inside the smaller man. He groaned low in his throat at the feel of him, loving the way the sub's eyes screwed shut at the initial pain. Smirking, Dean set the phone down on Seth's abs, knowing that Punk was still on the line, still listening to everything that was going on. Then he started fucking Seth, hard and fast. All that could be heard was the sound of skin slapping skin and Ambrose grunting and moaning while he pounded the life out of the pretty boy. And off to the side, Roman was watching the entire scene with his bottom lip between his teeth, fisting his dick trying to mirror Dean's thrusts.

Punk listened to the episode, harder than calculus and hardly noticing that his own hand was drifting downward into his sweatpants.

Dean stared down at the pretty boy, listening to his whimpers and moans as he was forced to take the vicious pounding he was giving him. The collar around his neck gleamed at him even under the dim lighting. Wanting to feel it and wanting to further bend the younger man to his will, Dean changed position slightly dragging Seth closer to him by his thighs so that he could hunch over top of him. He reached down and gripped Rollins by the neck. At first it was a light squeeze but it got harder and harder until the pretty boy couldn't breathe at all. And Ambrose didn't break stride, he continued to fuck him watching as his face went from red to a mottled purple. Just as Seth's eyes started to roll back in their sockets, he released him. Dean allowed him to gasp and take in oxygen briefly before squeezing his throat once more. Over and over again the dirty blonde would choke Seth, bringing him to the brink of unconsciousness before releasing him. And the pretty boy took it all, his dick harder than ever as he noted with a perverse sense of pleasure that his life was in Dean's hands.

Seeing the burner phone slide across Seth's abs brought a flash of insight since Dean damn near forgot that Punk was witnessing all of this. Grinning so hard it was practically a baring of teeth, he slowed his thrusts in order to pick up the phone.

"You hearing this Punk? I almost wish you could see it." Dean paused for a moment. "Maybe we should let you hack our cam feeds. Then you could watch our pretty boy taking this dick... Taking _everything_ we dish out."

Punk blushed and cleared his throat as he listened to Moxley prattle on. It was a dig, sure but he could hear an edge of laughter (maniacal thought it was) in Jon's voice so it clearly wasn't meant to be malicious.

Coughing, Punk tried to speak but it came out in an embarrassed whisper. "Yeah you really don't want that."

"Why?" asked Roman. He'd joined Ambrose at his side, shamelessly stroking his dick while he watched his partner sliding in and out of their sub. "Like you aren't jerking your cock right this second."

Hearing this, Seth moaned loudly, clenching his fists at his sides and it made both his Doms chuckle.

Punk closed his eyes. "Oh my god…" He'd heard that moan coming from the princess and couldn't deny how it made him feel that the younger man was still thinking of him while getting what sounded like the fucking of a lifetime.

"Oh shit…" growled Dean. "He's so fucking tight. I'm not gonna last." His thrusts increased in speed, his orgasm imminent.

Roman grit his teeth, jerking faster and faster. "Goddamn, I'm about to cum too." He went to reach for Seth's swollen and leaking dick with his free hand but Dean slapped it away.

"No! He doesn't get to cum." And to prove how serious he was, he wrapped his hand around the base of Seth's cock and balls and squeezed just hard enough to keep the sub in sensual agony.

Reigns grinned wickedly then almost instantly groaned as thick roping streams of cum shot out of his dick covering part of Dean and Seth. "Fuck!"

Rollins whined continuously in protest but could do nothing about it. He felt Dean stiffen above him, heard him curse as his Dom's seed splashed his walls warming him up from the inside out. And from the cellphone's speaker Punk could be heard breathing heavily indicative that he finished himself off as well.

"Mmm… Damn pretty boy. You always make me cum so fucking hard." Dean laughed a little at the daggers the younger man was shooting him as he pulled out. He slapped Seth's thoroughly loosened hole a few times with his dick then winked at him.

Roman started to tuck himself back inside his jeans but thought better of it and left his softening member to hang. They were going to bed soon anyway. Inhaling and exhaling slowly he picked the phone up off the pretty boy's abs and turned the speaker phone off.

"You still there, Punk?"

Punk chuckled weakly in response. "Yeah, Leakee. That was… something. Is it always like that between you three?"

"Nah. It would be tough on us all to go at a hundred every day." Roman walked out of the playroom, leaving Dean behind to cuddle and soothe their pretty boy. "Even though Seth is usually okay with how far and heavy we take things, it wouldn't be safe for him to do it so often."

Punk made a considering noise under his breath. "So Jon wasn't really pissed about… you know…?"

Roman laughed at the question. "No, that was just a vehicle. It was a tool to use to set up the scene. Don't worry, man. Although now that you mention it, maybe we need to have a talk with Seth about it too. Wouldn't do to have our pretty boy worried about the next time he spends a weekend with you."

That last made Punk smile. "Well I'm going back off the grid for the next few weeks so I can help The Outlaws with some shit but I'll let you know when I plan to come back to the city."

"Great. Just be careful. I remember how those assholes like to have you do stuff that can get you locked away in a federal pen."

"I'm the best in the world, Leakee. I don't get caught."

The best friends laughed together, things relaxed and easy between them. Just like old times.

Then Roman heard a sound behind him and stared as Ambrose carried their sub out of the playroom and into the master bedroom.

"Alright, man. We're going to head to bed now. And you should too."

Punk nodded to himself. "Yeah I think I will. It's nice being able to a get a full night's sleep like normal people."

"I bet it is. Good night, Punk."

"Night, Leakee. Tell Jon and the princess the same."

"I will." Roman hit end on the burner phone and walked into the bedroom. His partner and their pretty boy were already undressed and in bed. Reigns set the phone down on the night stand and stripped as well. Then he turned out the lights before climbing in next to Seth whom immediately burrowed his face in his chest. He wrapped an arm around the smaller man, stroking his back.

"Punk told me to tell you two 'goodnight'."

Dean looked over at him in the darkened bedroom. "Did he enjoy the show?"

"More than he'll ever admit," replied Roman with a grin.

Seth felt his face flame but didn't say a word.

The three men were quiet for a beat, reflective over the last hour and a half. Seth started to drift off, uncomfortable though he was, until he felt a hand close around his still hard member.

"Wow baby," whispered Dean. "Your dick hasn't gone down at all, huh?"

Seth shook his head. "No…"

"Guess I should do something about that then." And without another word Dean slid down under the sheets till he was face to face with the pretty boy's dick. He took the hardened flesh into his mouth, sucking on the head first then working his way down.

"Oh fuck. Oh shit. Oh fuck." Like a mantra, Seth cursed repeatedly, knowing that he wouldn't last beyond a minute. Especially not with Roman kissing and sucking on his bruised throat, nibbling at the barely there burn scars under the collar.

In no time at all Seth exploded inside Dean's mouth. There was so much that the older man barely managed to swallow it all.

Finally, Dean rejoined the other two men among the pillows, grinning like the cat that ate the canary. He could sense Seth's confusion and it made him laugh.

"You really didn't think I was going to let you go all night without cumming, did you?"

"Kinda," admitted Seth shyly. "I think you two don't realize just how convincing you can be."

Both Doms laughed at that and also filed away the knowledge that it would always be possible to enjoy that same intoxicating mix of terror and excitement that occurred that fateful night they chose to bring Seth home.

"I love you two so much," said Seth, his voice hushed and quiet. "I'll always love you."

Roman and Dean embraced their sub, peppering his face with small sweet kisses.

"We love you pretty boy." Dean pressed a kiss to his forehead. "Forever."

Seth smiled feeling safe and connected and totally content. "Forever? Really?" He didn't know why he questioned that. He already knew the answer.

"You're stuck with us, babe." Roman kissed the back of his neck. "Forever."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And... we're done! I hope everyone enjoyed this fic as much as I enjoyed writing it. The Ready To Blow series in general got way more support than I could have ever imagined and I'm thrilled to have made such an impact. I can only hope to be able to craft another fic/series that garners the same amount of love and support. Thank you.


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